McDonald’s introduced the Golden Arches as a national corporate logo in 1962.
The arches originated as architectural features on early McDonald’s buildings. The company’s restaurants used large yellow arches to make locations visible from the road, and the shape gradually became more important than the buildings themselves.
In 1962, McDonald’s adopted a stylized pair of arches as its corporate mark. The design is commonly associated with Jim Schindler, who combined the two architectural elements into the familiar golden “M.”
The 1962 mark is distinct from later refinements to the logo. McDonald’s adjusted lettering, colors, and proportions over time, but the arches remained the core visual identifier. The symbol is therefore older than many modern menu items and advertising campaigns.