The Golden Arches were added to McDonald’s restaurant signs in 1962 as a stylized letter M.
The symbol grew from the large yellow arches incorporated into McDonald’s restaurant architecture during the 1950s. When the company updated its visual identity, the separate architectural forms were combined into a single graphic resembling the letter M. This made the arches useful beyond the building itself: they could identify signs, packaging, uniforms, and advertisements.
The Golden Arches are distinct from Speedee, the earlier chef-like mascot used by McDonald’s. They are also not the same as McDonaldland, which was a fictional advertising setting. Although the shape originated in restaurant design, the combined arches eventually became McDonald’s primary corporate symbol and one of the most familiar logos in global commerce.