The 1968 McDonald's logo was the first version to place the restaurant name inside the Golden Arches.
Earlier versions of the arches mark used the paired yellow curves with other design elements, but the 1968 revision integrated the word “McDonald's” into the symbol. This made the logo more self-identifying when viewed without a nearby restaurant building or additional sign.
The change reflected the company's growing national and international presence. As McDonald's expanded, the logo had to communicate the brand consistently across signs, packaging, advertising, and restaurant exteriors. Combining the name with the arches strengthened that connection.
Later versions simplified the identity in different ways, and modern uses often show the arches alone. The arches themselves had already become recognizable before 1968, so the name-inside-the-arches design should not be confused with the date when the arches first appeared in restaurant architecture or with the 1962 corporate logo adoption.