The famous arches in McDonald’s “Golden Arches” brand name are yellow.
The color is part of the symbol’s original roadside function. McDonald’s used bright yellow arches on restaurant buildings and signs so motorists could identify the locations from a distance. The color also contrasted strongly with surrounding roads, buildings, and outdoor landscapes.
Although the arches are often shown with red backgrounds or alongside other brand colors, the arches themselves are conventionally yellow or golden. This is why the company’s visual symbol is called the Golden Arches rather than the Red Arches.
The color became especially powerful when paired with the simple M-shaped form. Together, the shape and color allowed customers to recognize McDonald’s without reading a full restaurant name. Modern applications may alter backgrounds or reproduce the mark in limited palettes, but the classic brand identity remains associated with yellow arches.