McDonald's introduced its two-dimensional Golden Arches logo in 1962.
Before 1962, the arches were mainly part of the restaurant buildings designed for McDonald's locations. The company then turned the architectural idea into a standalone graphic mark. The resulting symbol used two yellow arches joined in a stylized form.
The logo is often confused with the earlier building design because both came from the same visual concept. The change mattered commercially: a graphic symbol could appear on signs, packaging, advertisements, uniforms, and printed materials even when no building was visible.
McDonald's later used several variations of the arches and wordmark, but the 1962 design established the central visual idea associated with the brand. It remains a key date in the company's branding history.