The arches in McDonald’s best-known Golden Arches symbol are yellow.
The bright yellow arches became a central part of McDonald’s visual identity after the company developed its modern logo. Their strong color contrast made the symbol easy to notice on roadside signs and restaurant buildings.
Although the symbol is commonly called the Golden Arches, the standard logo is visually rendered in yellow rather than metallic gold. “Golden” refers to the arches’ appearance and brand name, not necessarily to a physical gold finish.
The arches were inspired by the curved forms used in early McDonald’s restaurant architecture. Over time, the emblem became independent of the building design and appeared across packaging, advertising, digital media, and merchandise.