Which McDonald's symbol originated as yellow arches on the company's restaurant buildings?

The Golden Arches originated as yellow arches on McDonald's restaurant buildings.

The arches were designed as part of the visual architecture of early McDonald's locations. Their height and bright color made them visible to motorists, giving the restaurants a recognizable roadside identity before the symbol became a separate corporate logo.

The two arches were eventually joined visually to suggest the letter M. This allowed the brand to use the symbol on signs, advertisements, packaging and other materials that did not show a complete restaurant. The architectural origin remains an important part of the mark's history.

The Golden Arches are sometimes described as having begun as a logo, but that reverses the sequence. They first functioned as building features and only later became the stylized emblem associated with McDonald's worldwide.