Red and yellow became McDonald's classic restaurant branding colors in the 1950s.
The colors were used prominently in signs, buildings, packaging, and advertising as the McDonald's chain expanded under the Speedee Service System. Their strong contrast made restaurants easy to identify from a distance.
The Golden Arches themselves were rendered in yellow, while red was widely used for backgrounds and other parts of the visual identity. Together, the colors became closely associated with the chain before later minimalist redesigns.
Modern McDonald's locations may use more restrained palettes, including gray, black, and natural materials. Those newer designs do not erase the historical importance of red and yellow, which remain the brand's most recognizable traditional colors.