McDonald’s introduced its modern Golden Arches logo, based on two interlocking arches, in 1962.
The company had used arches as architectural features before then, but the 1962 design transformed them into a separate graphic symbol. The logo was created by Jim Schindler, who combined the two arches into an “M”-like mark.
This change helped McDonald’s establish a consistent visual identity across restaurants, signs, packaging, and advertising. The symbol was much easier to reproduce than a complete building facade and could therefore travel with the brand.
A common mix-up is treating 1953 as the logo’s introduction. That year is associated with an early restaurant using the arches in its architecture; 1962 refers to the familiar standalone logo design.