The Golden Arches were McDonald's first official corporate logo after Ray Kroc bought the company in 1961.
The arches originated as architectural features on McDonald's early restaurant buildings. They were later combined into an “M” shape and became the company's central visual symbol. The logo linked the physical restaurant design with the growing corporate identity as McDonald's expanded beyond its original California locations.
The arches changed in appearance over time, including differences in color, outline, and relationship to the McDonald's wordmark. The familiar joined-arches design is therefore part of a longer evolution rather than a symbol that appeared fully formed at the beginning.
This question refers to the corporate logo designation after Kroc's 1961 acquisition, not to the earlier architectural arches or the separate Speedee character. Those elements all belong to McDonald's visual history but served different branding roles.