Who created the combined Golden Arches “M” used in McDonald’s modern logo in 1962?

Jim Schindler created the combined Golden Arches “M” used in McDonald’s modern logo in 1962.

Earlier McDonald’s restaurants used two separate yellow arches as part of their building design. Schindler, an engineer and design consultant, combined the two arches into a single stylized form that resembled the letter M when viewed from the front.

The new mark gave McDonald’s a consistent visual symbol that could work beyond the restaurant architecture. It helped the company build recognition on signs, packaging, advertising, and later products around the world.

Stanley Clark Meston is connected with the original architectural arches, not the joined logo. The “M” also does not literally stand for the word “McDonald’s”; its shape developed from the restaurant’s earlier physical design.