Which McDonald's symbol replaced the chef mascot Speedee as the company's leading visual identity?

The Golden Arches replaced Speedee as McDonald's leading visual identity.

Speedee represented the company's early emphasis on fast service, but the Golden Arches offered a more flexible symbol for a rapidly expanding restaurant chain. The arches originated as architectural features on McDonald's buildings and were redesigned as a combined graphic mark in 1962.

Unlike a character, the Golden Arches could appear consistently on roadside signs, packaging, advertisements, uniforms, and restaurant exteriors. That versatility helped the symbol become the primary identifier of the McDonald's brand around the world.

Speedee did not disappear instantly from every piece of historical material, and individual markets sometimes used local designs. Nevertheless, the arches became the enduring corporate mark. They are also distinct from Ronald McDonald, who remained a character and advertising personality rather than the company's principal logo.