What symbol did McDonald’s introduce as its official logo in 1962?

McDonald’s introduced the Golden Arches as its official logo in 1962.

The design developed from the large yellow arches used as architectural features on many early McDonald’s restaurants. Company consultant and designer Jim Schindler combined the two separate arches into a stylized letter M, creating a symbol that could identify the brand even without its name.

The arches were not originally created only as a graphic mark. Architect Stanley Clark Meston included them in the restaurant design commissioned by Richard and Maurice McDonald in the 1950s. The arches helped make the buildings visible from roads and highways.

A common mix-up is assuming the logo and the restaurant architecture began at exactly the same time. The building arches appeared earlier, while the unified logo came later. The symbol became one of the world’s most recognizable corporate marks.