Which McDonald’s logo design, introduced in 1962, combined the Golden Arches into an “M” shape?

The 1962 Golden Arches logo combined the two architectural arches into an “M” shape. It was designed by Jim Schindler and became the foundation of McDonald’s modern visual identity.

The arches originated as physical elements of McDonald’s restaurant buildings. Richard and Maurice McDonald used large yellow arches in the design of their San Bernardino restaurant, and the shapes became recognizable from the roadside. When the arches were brought together in the 1962 logo, an architectural feature became a corporate symbol.

The logo is often confused with later versions that added the McDonald’s wordmark, altered proportions, or used different color treatments. The important historical distinction is the 1962 design milestone: the arches were unified into a stylized letter-like form.

The “M” interpretation helped make the mark effective internationally because it could be recognized even when viewers did not read English. McDonald’s later retained the Golden Arches while changing other parts of its branding, including slogans, restaurant design, and advertising characters.