Who created McDonald's familiar M-shaped logo by joining the two arches?

Jim Schindler created McDonald's familiar M-shaped logo by joining the two arches.

The company already used Golden Arches as architectural elements on restaurant buildings. Schindler's 1960s logo work transformed those separate arches into a single graphic mark that could represent the entire business, not only a particular building.

The resulting symbol resembles an M, but its history comes from the restaurant's physical design. This is why the logo is commonly called the Golden Arches even though it functions as a stylized letter.

The mark became a core part of McDonald's visual identity as the company expanded internationally. It is distinct from the earlier restaurant-sign design and from later changes to colors, lettering, and surrounding layouts.