Who created the modern simplified McDonald's arches logo introduced in 1968?

Jim Schindler created the modern simplified McDonald’s arches logo introduced in 1968.

Schindler’s redesign reduced the earlier two-arch treatment to a cleaner, more unified golden “M.” It was easier to reproduce consistently in print, signage, packaging, and advertising as McDonald’s expanded internationally.

The redesign belongs to a sequence of related identity changes rather than a single invention of the arches. Stanley Clark Meston designed the original architectural arches, while Schindler adapted the idea into graphic symbols in 1962 and again in 1968.

The 1968 version is often treated as the foundation of the familiar modern mark. Later versions changed surrounding typography, colors, or layout, but the golden arches remained the central visual cue. Ray Kroc built the company’s franchise system and growth strategy; he was not the designer of this logo.