What visual symbol appears beside McDonald's name in the 1962 Golden Arches logo?

The 1962 Golden Arches logo presents the arches as a stylized letter M beside the McDonald's name.

The symbol originated in the two yellow arches built into McDonald's restaurants during the 1950s. When the architectural forms were combined graphically, they created an M-like shape that could identify the company even without a detailed picture of a building.

The arches are often described simply as two curved yellow lines, but their branding function is more specific: together they form the letter M in the company's name. The symbol should also be distinguished from Ronald McDonald and the earlier Speedee character, which were advertising figures rather than the corporate logo.