Jim Schindler created McDonald's familiar Golden Arches logo by combining two arches into an “M.”
Schindler worked for McDonald's as a design consultant and developed the logo from the large architectural arches used on the chain's restaurants. The resulting mark turned separate building features into a simple, memorable corporate symbol.
That distinction matters because two names are linked to the Golden Arches. Stanley Clark Meston designed the original architectural arches for McDonald's buildings, while Schindler transformed the idea into the recognizable “M” logo. The logo therefore grew from architecture into graphic branding.
The arches became one of the world's most recognizable commercial symbols because they were easy to reproduce on signs, packaging, advertising, and later digital media. Although the restaurant designs and logo changed over time, the two-arch form remained central to McDonald's identity.