Which McDonald's logo element was added to the wordmark in 1962 by designer Jim Schindler?

Jim Schindler added the Golden Arches to the McDonald's wordmark in 1962.

Schindler combined the stylized arches with the restaurant name to create a recognizable corporate logo. The arches had already been associated with McDonald's buildings, but the 1962 design turned them into a compact graphic mark that could work across signs and printed materials.

The logo was later refined, including the removal of the central line in the arches. That later change is why accounts may distinguish the 1962 logo from the modern interlocking form adopted in 1968.

The Golden Arches name describes the logo's two curved yellow shapes. It is not the name of a mascot, menu item, or advertising campaign, although the symbol eventually became one of the world's most recognizable commercial marks.