The Golden Arches became McDonald's most recognizable brand mark after their introduction in 1962.
The symbol developed from the physical arches on McDonald's restaurant buildings. Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the original restaurant with two tall yellow arches, one at each side of the building. The arches were visible from the road and helped distinguish the restaurant in the growing drive-in market.
In 1962, McDonald's simplified the two architectural forms into the familiar overlapping M logo. The design was created by Jim Schindler, who combined the arches into a single graphic. The company later used the symbol independently of the restaurant facade, allowing it to appear on packaging, signs, advertising, and uniforms.
The Golden Arches are sometimes confused with the restaurant's full wordmark or with the early Speedee character. Speedee was an earlier mascot, while the arches became the enduring corporate symbol. The phrase also refers to the arches as a logo, not to a particular restaurant location.