What symbol did McDonald's make its primary corporate logo in 1962?

McDonald's made the Golden Arches its primary corporate logo in 1962.

The symbol developed from the large yellow arches used on McDonald's restaurant buildings during the 1950s. Jim Schindler adapted the two separate architectural forms into a unified graphic mark that resembles the letter “M.” This gave the company a compact emblem for signs, packaging, advertising, and other applications.

The Golden Arches quickly became more than a picture of a restaurant. They came to represent the McDonald's brand itself, allowing customers to recognize the company even when the full name was not displayed. Their international visibility grew as McDonald's expanded beyond the United States.

The arches should not be confused with Speedee, the earlier mascot, or with Ronald McDonald, the later advertising character. They are also not simply a reference to the McDonald brothers' surname: their visual history begins with restaurant architecture and the 1962 logo design.