What McDonald's symbol appeared on the first modern corporate logo in 1968?

The Golden Arches appeared on McDonald's first modern corporate logo in 1968.

The 1968 logo used the arches as the central visual identity of the company and paired them with the McDonald’s name. This was an important step in consolidating the restaurant chain’s branding as expansion made a consistent corporate mark increasingly valuable.

The arches themselves originated as architectural elements in the early 1950s and were redesigned as a logo by Jim Schindler in 1962. The 1968 date therefore refers to a later corporate-logo presentation, not the invention of the arches or the first abstract M.

McDonald's has revised its logo treatments over the decades, but the Golden Arches have remained the constant core symbol. Their endurance comes from the connection between a simple letterform, recognizable restaurant buildings, and a strong yellow color.