What two colors form McDonald's famous Golden Arches logo?

McDonald's famous Golden Arches logo uses yellow and red. The yellow arches are the central symbol, while red commonly appears in the surrounding wordmark, packaging, signs, and restaurant design.

The arches originated as architectural features on McDonald's restaurants in the 1950s. Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the early buildings with large side arches intended to make them visible to passing motorists. Those physical arches later became a stylized corporate logo.

The colors are often discussed together because McDonald's branding traditionally pairs bright yellow with red. The combination is highly visible and became associated with quick service, roadside restaurants, and the company's global expansion.

Individual restaurants and campaigns can use additional colors, especially in modern or local designs. That variation does not change the standard answer about the classic logo palette.