What two golden shapes form the central symbol of McDonald’s modern logo?

McDonald’s modern logo is formed by the Golden Arches.

The arches originated as architectural features on McDonald’s early restaurant buildings. In the 1950s, architect Stanley Meston designed distinctive yellow arches for the company’s restaurants, helping them stand out along highways. The shapes were initially part of the building rather than a standalone corporate emblem.

In 1962, designer Jim Schindler combined the two arches into a stylized letter M for McDonald’s corporate identity. The resulting symbol gradually became more recognizable than the restaurants themselves and was retained as the company expanded internationally.

The Golden Arches are sometimes confused with the restaurant’s yellow-and-red color scheme or with the Speedee character. Speedee belonged to an earlier service-focused identity, while the arches became McDonald’s enduring visual signature.