Which McDonald’s symbol was added to the company logo in 1968?

The wordmark was added to the McDonald’s logo in 1968.

A wordmark is a logo made from the company’s name in specially arranged lettering. Adding the “McDonald’s” name beside the Golden Arches made the symbol more explicit and helped customers connect the abstract yellow shape with the restaurant chain.

The Golden Arches had already been adapted from McDonald’s building architecture into a logo in 1962. The later wordmark did not replace the arches; it paired the name with the symbol to create a stronger complete corporate identity.

This change is easy to confuse with later updates involving color, proportions, and layout. McDonald’s has used several logo arrangements over time, but the 1968 addition is specifically associated with placing the company name with the arches. That combination became a familiar sign and packaging treatment.