McDonald's 1962 Golden Arches logo formed the letter M.
The design combined the two yellow architectural arches used on earlier McDonald's restaurants into one recognizable mark. Jim Schindler, a McDonald's construction and design consultant, developed the logo as part of a broader visual redesign. The arches were joined visually so that the restaurant's initials could be suggested without spelling out the name.
The logo became much more than a drawing of a building feature. Its strong shape, limited color palette, and visibility from roads helped turn McDonald's restaurants into an easily recognized international brand. The arches also helped distinguish the company from ordinary roadside diners.
A common mix-up is assuming the arches were originally created as a logo. They began as physical architectural elements on restaurant buildings in the 1950s; the familiar M-shaped symbol came later. The modern mark has been simplified and adjusted over time, but the letterform idea remains central to McDonald's identity.