Which McDonald’s symbol began as two separate yellow arches on restaurant buildings?

The Golden Arches began as two separate yellow arches on McDonald’s restaurant buildings.

Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the arches in 1952 for the McDonald brothers’ new restaurant concept. The arches were intended to make the building distinctive and visible to motorists, functioning first as architectural signage rather than as an abstract logo.

As the company expanded, the two arches were viewed together from particular angles and gradually became associated with the letter “M.” McDonald’s later combined and stylized them into the single golden symbol recognized around the world.

The Golden Arches are sometimes described as having been created as a logo from the beginning. Historically, their first purpose was structural and visual: they were prominent building features that later evolved into corporate branding.