Which McDonald's branding symbol was created by combining two separate architectural arches?

The Golden Arches were created as a branding symbol by combining two separate architectural arches.

Early McDonald's restaurants used large yellow arches as prominent features of their buildings. These structures were designed to attract motorists and make the restaurants easy to identify from nearby roads.

In 1962, designer Jim Schindler combined the two arches into the stylized “M” that became McDonald's corporate logo. The resulting mark preserved the visual memory of the buildings while making the symbol usable on signs, packaging, advertisements, and other materials.

The Golden Arches are therefore both an architectural idea and a graphic trademark. Stanley Meston is associated with the early restaurant architecture, while Jim Schindler is associated with the combined logo. Keeping those roles separate prevents a common mix-up in McDonald's branding history.