McDonald’s introduced its first interlocking-arches logo in 1962.
The logo transformed the restaurant’s architectural arches into a recognizable graphic mark. Jim Schindler designed the interlocking form, which joined two yellow arches into the shape associated with the letter M. This gave McDonald’s a visual identity that could work on signs, packaging, advertisements, and other materials.
The physical arches had appeared on McDonald’s buildings before 1962. The important distinction is that 1962 marks the first interlocking-arches logo, not the beginning of arches as restaurant architecture. Later versions changed the treatment of the arches and lettering, but the basic symbol remained central to the brand.
The logo’s success came from its simplicity and consistency. It could be recognized at a distance and did not depend on language. That made it especially useful as McDonald’s expanded beyond its original American market.