McDonald’s introduced its recognizable Golden Arches logo in 1962.
The design developed from the architectural arches used at McDonald’s restaurants. Architect Stanley Clark Meston created the original restaurant design in the 1950s, while Jim Schindler adapted the arches into the stylized golden “M” used for the corporate logo. The symbol visually connected the brand with its roadside restaurants.
The 1962 logo replaced earlier branding that used the Speedee character and text-based designs. The arches were eventually simplified and standardized, but the basic “M” remained central to McDonald’s identity. A common mix-up is to date the logo to 1955, the year the McDonald’s Corporation was founded; the famous corporate arches came later.
The Golden Arches became more than a logo. They functioned as roadside signage, a recognizable landmark for motorists, and a shorthand for the McDonald’s brand worldwide.