McDonald's introduced the modern Golden Arches logo as part of its corporate identity in 1962.
The design transformed the paired arches seen on restaurant buildings into a unified, stylized letter M. It appeared as McDonald's expanded beyond its earliest California locations and needed a consistent visual mark for signs, packaging, advertising, and new restaurants.
The physical arches and the graphic logo are related but not identical. The restaurant architecture came first, while the corporate symbol simplified those forms for use at many different sizes. This helped the mark work on roadside signs as well as paper packaging and printed advertisements.
McDonald's has adjusted its presentation, colors, and surrounding wordmark over time, but the basic golden M has remained central to the brand. It is therefore common to see 1962 described as the key year for the Golden Arches identity, even though earlier restaurants already featured architectural arches.