What two colors were used for McDonald’s Golden Arches in the company’s famous logo?

McDonald’s famous Golden Arches logo uses yellow arches with red lettering or background elements. The color pairing became one of the most recognizable combinations in global branding.

The arches originated as architectural features on McDonald’s early restaurants, not as an abstract logo invented from nothing. Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the restaurant buildings with large yellow arches, which were visible from the road and helped attract motorists. The arches were later combined into the letter-like “M” used by the company.

Red and yellow also supported the restaurant’s practical roadside identity. Yellow made the arches highly visible, while red created strong contrast and energetic associations. Exact layouts have changed across decades and markets, so the logo has not always displayed the colors in precisely the same arrangement. The enduring brand association, however, is the yellow arches against red.