Who created the combined Golden Arches symbol used in McDonald's logo?

Jim Schindler created the combined Golden Arches symbol used in the McDonald's logo.

The original arches were architectural elements on McDonald's restaurant buildings, but the later logo treated them as a graphic symbol. Schindler, who worked for McDonald's, combined the two arch shapes so that they formed a stylized letter M. This gave the company a compact mark that could appear on signs, packaging, and advertising.

The Golden Arches are often confused with the complete restaurant building design. Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the original arches as part of the 1950s buildings, while Schindler's contribution was the graphic combination that became the corporate emblem.

The symbol's success came from its simplicity: the bright yellow shape remained recognizable even when the full restaurant name was absent.