McDonald's added the “M” arches to its corporate logo as a central symbol in 1962.
The logo grew from the golden arches built into many McDonald's restaurant designs during the 1950s. Those arches were originally architectural elements visible on the front of the buildings. In 1962, designer Jim Schindler joined the two forms into the stylized “M” that became the company's main corporate mark.
This date is sometimes confused with 1955, when Ray Kroc established the McDonald's System, Inc. company, or with 1968, when a major logo variation with the company name became prominent. The architectural arches and the later graphic logo are related, but they are not the same stage in the brand's development.
The 1962 mark was important because it could travel beyond a building. It worked on signs, packaging, advertisements, and merchandise, giving McDonald's a consistent visual identity as the chain expanded across the United States and internationally.