McDonald’s used the Golden Arches as its official logo from 1962.
The arches originated as architectural features on early McDonald’s restaurants. Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the arches for the San Bernardino restaurant, where they formed a visible roadside shape. As the company expanded, the arches became more than building decoration: they developed into the central emblem of the McDonald’s brand.
In 1962, Jim Schindler combined the two arches into the familiar “M” logo. This created a simplified symbol that could work on signs, packaging, advertising, and later digital materials.
The Golden Arches are sometimes described only as a restaurant design feature, but their lasting importance comes from their transformation into a globally recognizable corporate logo.