What name is commonly used for the large yellow arches in McDonald's branding?

The large yellow arches in McDonald's branding are commonly called the Golden Arches.

The arches began as architectural features of McDonald's restaurants in the 1950s. The original restaurant designs used paired arches that were visible from the roadside and helped distinguish the buildings to passing motorists. Their strong shape and bright color made them effective signs as well as structural decoration.

In 1962, the arches were transformed into the stylized “M” logo associated with McDonald's. Although the modern symbol is a graphic mark rather than a pair of building arches, the Golden Arches name remained a widely used description of the company's visual identity.

A common misunderstanding is that the phrase refers only to the current logo. Historically, it also describes the physical yellow arches built into early restaurant architecture. The symbol became so closely associated with McDonald's that “the Golden Arches” developed into a recognizable nickname for the company itself.