The arches in McDonald's first national logo design were yellow.
The Golden Arches became a visual shorthand for McDonald's after the company adapted the architectural arches used on its restaurants into a corporate mark. Their bright yellow color made the symbol highly visible from roads and helped distinguish McDonald's buildings from surrounding businesses.
The logo's two arches form a stylized “M,” but the design history began with physical architecture rather than typography. The arches were prominent features of early restaurant buildings, and McDonald's later used them on signs, packaging, uniforms, and advertising.
The word “Golden” refers to the arches' yellow-gold appearance, not to metallic construction. Another common mistake is assuming the arches were originally red because red is also strongly associated with McDonald's signs and restaurant interiors. Red became a major supporting brand color, while the arches themselves remained yellow.