Which McDonald's brand symbol became known as the Golden Arches?

The Golden Arches are McDonald’s stylized letter M.

The symbol developed from the architectural arches used on McDonald's restaurants in the 1950s. The company combined the two arches into a recognizable M, turning a physical building feature into a corporate mark. The design became one of the most widely recognized symbols in global branding.

The Golden Arches are sometimes described as two separate arches, but their later logo function is the letter M formed by the combined shapes. The symbol should also be distinguished from the restaurant's earlier Speedee identity, which represented fast service before the arches became dominant.