Which designer turned McDonald's two physical arches into its recognizable “M” logo?

Jim Schindler turned McDonald’s two physical arches into its recognizable “M” logo.

The original arches were separate architectural elements placed on either side of early restaurant buildings. In 1962, Schindler, a McDonald’s design consultant, reworked the two shapes into a single graphic mark. The combined form suggested the letter “M” while retaining the visual memory of the restaurants’ structures.

This was a major branding change because the company could use the symbol on signs, packaging, advertisements, and other materials without reproducing the entire building. The mark also worked at different sizes, making it useful for a growing international chain.

The Golden Arches are therefore associated with two different designers. Stanley Meston designed the original building arches, while Jim Schindler created the combined graphic symbol. The logo has been refined in later corporate identity systems, but its central idea remains Schindler’s joined arches.