McDonald's first prominent logo color combination after the Golden Arches were introduced was yellow and red.
The arches themselves were yellow, while red was used prominently in the surrounding sign and visual presentation. Together, the colors created a high-contrast identity that was easy to see from roads and strongly recognizable in restaurant environments. The combination became one of the most enduring features of McDonald's branding.
The choice also suited the visual conditions of fast-food advertising. Bright, saturated colors attracted attention on roadside signs, restaurant exteriors, packaging, and printed advertisements. Over time, the exact layouts and shades changed, but yellow arches against red remained a familiar shorthand for McDonald's.
This color pairing should not be confused with the later minimalist use of a yellow arches symbol on backgrounds such as white, black, or green. Those applications are variations of the identity; the classic early presentation is associated with the yellow-and-red combination.