What was McDonald’s first restaurant design concept called after its 1950s redesign?

McDonald’s first major restaurant design concept after its 1950s redesign was identified by its Golden Arches.

The McDonald brothers rebuilt their San Bernardino restaurant around a more visible, standardized roadside identity. Architect Stanley Clark Meston and his team developed a building whose tall yellow arches could be seen from a distance, especially by motorists.

The arches were initially physical parts of the building rather than a detached corporate logo. Their strong shape and bright color made them useful as both architecture and advertising, helping customers recognize McDonald’s before they reached the restaurant.

The separate arches were later combined into the familiar “M” symbol. This history explains why the term Golden Arches can refer both to the restaurant architecture and to McDonald’s broader visual brand.