The McDonald’s Golden Arches logo resembles the letter M. The shape developed from the paired yellow arches used in the company’s early restaurant architecture.
The arches were originally separate structural elements placed on the front and sides of McDonald’s buildings. Their silhouette was visible from the road, helping customers identify the restaurants before modern roadside signage became widespread.
As McDonald’s branding developed, the two arches were brought together into a single graphic mark. The resulting M-shaped emblem became closely associated with the company, its restaurants, and its packaging.
The logo is sometimes described simply as the “Golden Arches,” even though its visual form also reads as an M for McDonald’s. The name refers to the architectural origin of the mark as well as its golden-yellow color.