Which McDonald's design symbol is commonly known as the Golden Arches?

The McDonald's design symbol commonly known as the Golden Arches is the letter M.

The symbol developed from the two yellow arches incorporated into early McDonald's restaurant buildings. When the arches were combined in the 1960s, their outline formed a stylized capital M. The resulting mark was simple enough to recognize quickly and flexible enough to use on signs, packaging, uniforms, and advertising.

Although the symbol resembles an ordinary letter, its commercial meaning is much more specific. The color, shape, and worldwide association make it one of the most recognizable corporate marks in the world. In many places, the arches can identify McDonald's even when the company name is not written nearby.

A common misunderstanding is that the logo was designed as an M from the beginning. The original arches were architectural elements, and the unified letterform came later. The term “Golden Arches” refers to the visual symbol, while the answer to the shape question is the letter M.