Which McDonald's logo introduced the overlapping arches that form an M?

The 1962 logo introduced the overlapping arches that form an M.

Before the graphic M became standard, McDonald's branding used other marks, including Speedee and designs based on the restaurant's name. The 1962 version transformed the two architectural arches into a single overlapping symbol, creating the Golden Arches logo recognized worldwide.

The design was made by Jim Schindler, who worked for McDonald's. Its shape was practical as well as memorable: it could be reproduced on signs, packaging, uniforms, and printed advertising more easily than a full building illustration.

The logo later received refinements, including changes to the wordmark, colors, and surrounding layout. Those revisions are sometimes mistaken for entirely new logos. The defining overlapping-arches concept originated with the 1962 design.