McDonald’s first used the Golden Arches logo designed by Jim Schindler in 1962.
Schindler combined the restaurant chain’s two architectural arches into a single, recognizable mark. The design helped turn a building feature into a portable brand symbol that could appear on signs, packaging, uniforms, and advertising.
The arches had existed as physical parts of McDonald’s restaurant buildings before 1962. They were not originally created as a standalone logo, which is why the architectural history and the logo’s history are sometimes confused.
The modern emblem has changed in color, proportions, and presentation over time, but the paired arches remain one of the world’s most recognizable corporate symbols. The 1962 date refers specifically to the logo’s adoption, not to the construction of the first arch-shaped restaurant.