The restaurant chain last week revealed plans to refocus its work in schools as part of a radical overhaul of its national education programme.
The National Children's Bureau said "the mood is changing" while the Health Education Trust also viewed the shift as evidence that companies are moving away from using education processes to endorse their products.
Under a new three-year strategy, McDonald's will stop providing educational material to primary schools and will provide curriculum support only to children over the age of 13.
A spokesman for the restaurant chain told Children Now: "McDonald's is refocusing its work within education, placing more emphasis on the areas of 14 to 19 work-related learning." He said it would continue to be involved in local activity, such as sporting initiatives, with primary schools.
The move follows widespread criticism of its role as one of the UK's biggest marketers to children. But McDonald's has denied the decision had been prompted by criticism. It said the new strategy matched a shift in the Government's agenda for education, with a focus on enterprise, employability and work-related learning.
Paul Ennals, chief executive of the National Children's Bureau, said: "I am very pleased. I hope that some of the other multinationals will follow suit. Businesses need to realise that there are responsibilities beyond their profit motives."
He said it showed that companies were now becoming more aware of their responsibilities to children. "The mood is changing. It's no longer acceptable for multinationals to profit on the back of children's ill-health."
Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said it was sensible for McDonald's to reduce its presence in primary schools. "I don't think they were needed in the first place," she said.
Joe Harvey, director of the Health Education Trust, was also celebrating.
"I welcome the idea that multinational companies are moving away from using education processes to endorse their products," he said.
"We should not be relying on that money to drive our education system."
