Which McDonald’s brand symbol is formed by joining two yellow arches into an “M”?

The Golden Arches are the McDonald’s brand symbol formed by joining two yellow arches into an “M.”

The symbol evolved from the architecture of early McDonald’s restaurants. Large arches were placed on the buildings so customers could identify them from the road. As McDonald’s expanded, the arches became useful even when no distinctive building was present.

In 1962, the two arches were combined into a stylized letter-like form associated with the company name. The resulting mark is commonly called the Golden Arches and became one of the most recognizable symbols in global commerce. Its simple shape works well on roadside signs, packaging, advertisements, uniforms, and digital materials.

The Golden Arches are not the same thing as Speedee, McDonaldland, or the McCafé badge. Those names refer to other parts of McDonald’s branding history. The arches remain the company’s defining visual symbol.