Which McDonald's logo element formed a stylized letter M from two arches?

The Golden Arches formed a stylized letter M from two arches in McDonald's logo history.

The two arches were first used as architectural features on McDonald's restaurants. Their bright yellow color and large scale made them visible from roads, giving the buildings a distinctive identity before the company had its modern corporate mark.

Designer Jim Schindler combined the separate arches into an M in 1962. That transformation turned a building feature into a compact symbol that could appear on signs, packaging, advertising, and other brand materials. The result became one of the world's most recognizable corporate logos.

The M is often described simply as a letter, but its visual meaning comes from the arches' architectural origin. Stanley Clark Meston designed the early buildings; Schindler is credited with adapting the arches into the logo. Those are related but separate contributions.