Which architect designed the 1950s McDonald’s restaurant buildings that featured the original yellow arches?

Stanley Clark Meston designed the 1950s McDonald’s restaurant buildings that featured the original yellow arches.

Meston worked with McDonald’s to develop a highly visible drive-in restaurant design. The buildings used strong geometric forms, red-and-white colors, and tall yellow arches that could be seen by motorists. These features helped give the chain a consistent visual identity as it expanded beyond its original locations.

The arches were architectural elements before they became the company’s unified logo. Their roadside visibility made them effective signs, while their repeated use across restaurants gave customers a recognizable visual cue. The later logo transformed the two arches into a stylized “M.”

Meston is therefore associated with the buildings and their physical arches. Jim Schindler is associated with the 1962 logo that joined the arches together. The two designers contributed to different stages of McDonald’s branding history.