Which McDonald’s logo element was removed from the company’s main logo in 2006?

The company name was removed from McDonald’s main logo in 2006, leaving the Golden Arches as a standalone mark.

For decades, McDonald’s commonly displayed the arches together with the words “McDonald’s.” As the brand became globally familiar, the company increasingly used the arches alone in selected contexts. The standalone symbol relied on recognition built through years of restaurants, advertising, packaging, and sponsorships.

This change did not eliminate the name from all McDonald’s communications. The wordmark continued to appear where legal identification, local information, or clearer communication required it. Instead, the 2006 logo treatment showed that the arches could function independently as a mature corporate symbol.

The change is sometimes described as removing the arches, but the opposite happened: the arches became more visually independent. The yellow “M” remained the central identifying element.