Which McDonald’s logo color combination became standard after the 1968 redesign?

Red and yellow became the standard color combination for McDonald’s branding after the 1968 logo redesign.

The yellow arches created a highly visible symbol, while red supplied a strong contrasting field in signs, packaging, and advertising. Together, the colors made McDonald’s locations easy to recognize from a distance and helped create a consistent identity across markets.

The redesign simplified the arches into the familiar overlapping “M” symbol. That change made the mark practical for many different applications, from roadside signs to printed materials and restaurant interiors.

Modern McDonald’s restaurants may use additional colors and localized design systems, but red and yellow remain the classic historical combination. The colors are part of the visual identity, not a separate name for the logo.