Which two colors form McDonald’s most recognizable Golden Arches logo?

McDonald’s Golden Arches logo is formed by yellow arches set against a red background.

The arches originated as architectural features of McDonald’s restaurants in the 1950s. Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the distinctive golden arch structures for the company’s buildings, and the shape later became an independent graphic symbol.

The familiar colors helped make the brand highly visible from roads and highways. Yellow gave the arches a bright, attention-catching appearance, while red became a strong supporting color in signs, packaging, and advertising. The exact presentation has changed across eras and markets, but the yellow-and-red combination remains strongly associated with McDonald’s.

A common mix-up is treating the arches as only a building feature. By the 1960s, they had become a central corporate mark, capable of identifying the company even when its name was not written out.