The architectural feature that inspired the McDonald's logo was the Golden Arches.
The arches originated as physical design elements on McDonald's restaurants. Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the first franchised McDonald's building in Downey, California, with two large yellow arches on either side of the structure. The arches helped make the restaurants visible to passing motorists and gave the buildings a distinctive roadside identity.
In 1962, designer Jim Schindler combined the two side arches into a stylized letter M for the corporate logo. The resulting symbol became more important than the buildings themselves and eventually developed into one of the world's most recognizable commercial marks.
The Golden Arches are often confused with the entire restaurant building or with the later yellow “M” symbol. Historically, however, the arches were first architectural features before they became a graphic logo. The original arches were also connected with the chain's mid-century drive-in design and its effort to stand out along busy American roads.