McDonald’s first use of a Golden Arches building was in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1953.
The arches first functioned as architecture rather than as a standalone graphic logo. Architect Stanley Meston designed the distinctive restaurant form, which used tall yellow arches at the sides of the building. The design helped the restaurant stand out to passing motorists, especially at night when the arches were illuminated.
This architectural branding appeared before the modern Golden Arches emblem. In 1962, Jim Schindler adapted the two arches into the familiar M-shaped logo used across signs and printed materials.
The Phoenix date is sometimes confused with McDonald’s founding milestones. The original McDonald’s restaurant opened in San Bernardino, California, in 1940, while the first franchised McDonald’s restaurant opened in Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955. The Phoenix building marks a separate architectural step in the brand’s development.