McDonald's introduced its stylized Golden Arches logo featuring a single M in 1962.
The logo developed from the large yellow arches built into McDonald's restaurant designs during the 1950s. Jim Schindler created the modern graphic treatment by combining the two architectural arches into an M-shaped mark. This made the symbol usable on signs, packaging, advertisements, and other brand materials.
The 1962 design was an important transition in McDonald's visual identity. It preserved the recognizable yellow arches while making them work as a compact corporate emblem. The mark is often confused with the original 1952 architectural design, but those are separate stages in the symbol's history.
McDonald's continued refining its logo over time, including versions with a wordmark and later versions using the arches alone. The core golden M, however, remained central to the company's branding.