Jim Schindler combined McDonald’s two architectural arches into the stylized M logo in 1962.
McDonald’s restaurants had already used large golden arches as architectural features. Schindler adapted those separate structures into a single graphic emblem that looked like the letter M. This transformation helped the arches work consistently on signs, packaging, advertising, and other brand materials.
The logo’s visual strength came from its simplicity: two curved forms could be recognized quickly, even when viewers could not read the restaurant name. The symbol also preserved a direct connection to McDonald’s roadside restaurant design.
The logo is often described simply as the Golden Arches, although the phrase can refer both to the original architectural elements and to the later corporate symbol. Later versions changed details such as proportions, outlines, and accompanying lettering, but Schindler’s 1962 adaptation established the core M-shaped identity.