After 69 years, including three decades in Ireland, the company is abandoning the traditional gold- on-red livery that has made it the world’s sixth most valuable brand.

In future, the trademarked golden arches will appear on a green background. Yesterday McDonald’s Germany, one of the chain’s biggest markets worldwide, announced the revolution.

Holger Beeck, deputy chief executive in Germany, said that the switch to green was to be understood as a nod to “greater environmental awareness”.

However McDonald’s Ireland has stolen a march on its German competitors with evolution rather than revolution.

In new and refitted stores, such as in Dún Laoghaire and Swords, Co Dublin, the company is already displaying the gold-on-green logo, with more stores to follow.

“We’re refitting 14 restaurants a year, but with 78 in Ireland it’ll be some time before we reach the tipping point,” said Ray Farrelly, McDonald’s Ireland spokesman.

“We’re using green, more timber and natural stone in our interiors and exteriors to show where the brand has moved on to. This is much more modern and contemporary.”

Tinkering with the formula can be a risky business for a worldwide brand, as Coca-Cola learned to their cost in with the “New Coke” fiasco of 1985.

McDonald’s is leaving its food menu untouched as it pursues the visual makeover, a shift away from being perceived as a burger restaurant that began with the first McCafe in Australia in 1993.

Colour psychologists suggested that McDonald’s red was the most likely in the spectrum to stimulate heart rate and appetite; green meanwhile is viewed as the colour of hope: the Barack Obama of the colour spectrum.

The makeover is a worldwide phenomenon.

In Manhattan, McDonald’s has a new premises with more stylish furniture, black-clad staff and indirect lighting. “European-style” is what they’re calling it, whatever that means.

It’s not all change: red will remain on McDonald’s packaging and some signage, while the corporate clown character Ronald McDonald won’t be asked to don leprechaun green.

Irish brand consultant Nicholas Cloake said that with the change, McDonald’s is trying to change public sentiment to the brand.

“I would tell them that if they’re going to change to go radical. They’re not changing enough and are starting to look tired,” says Mr Cloake, who is a partner at Dublin’s Baseline brand consultancy.

“I’d take the makeover further and shoot the clown – that’d be a step in the right direction,” he adds.