Jim Schindler designed McDonald’s modern logo by joining the two golden arches into an “M” in 1962.
The arches originally functioned as architectural features on many McDonald’s restaurants, especially the distinctive roadside buildings designed during the chain’s early growth. As the restaurants expanded, the arches became more than parts of a building: they became a visual shorthand for the brand.
Schindler’s 1962 design combined the two separate arches into the familiar golden “M.” The logo helped McDonald’s create a consistent identity across signs, packaging, advertisements, and restaurant exteriors.
A frequent confusion is crediting architect Stanley Clark Meston with the logo itself. Meston designed important early restaurant buildings, while Schindler is associated with the joined-arches corporate logo. Ray Kroc was the company’s major franchising leader, not the logo designer.