McDonald’s adopted the joined Golden Arches as its main logo in 1962.
Before 1962, the arches were primarily architectural elements attached to individual restaurant buildings. The company’s visual identity changed when designer Jim Schindler combined the two arches into a stylized letter M. This made the symbol practical for signs, packaging, advertisements, and other materials that did not include a full restaurant building.
The new mark retained the bright yellow color associated with the original arches while simplifying the design into a compact emblem. It helped McDonald’s create a consistent identity as the chain expanded beyond its original California base. The arches later became recognizable even without the company name beside them.
People sometimes confuse the 1962 logo change with the introduction of the first arches in the 1950s. The physical arches came first; the joined, logo-like M came later. The design also predates the company’s later slogan campaigns and the modern minimalist versions of the symbol.