Who designed McDonald’s familiar overlapping Golden Arches logo introduced in 1962?

Jim Schindler designed McDonald’s familiar overlapping Golden Arches logo introduced in 1962.

The logo grew out of the yellow arches that had appeared on McDonald’s restaurant buildings during the 1950s. Schindler’s design joined the two arches into a stylized “M,” creating a mark that could work on signs, packaging, and advertising as well as on buildings.

The 1962 redesign is sometimes confused with the work of architect Stanley Meston. Meston designed the restaurant architecture that inspired the arches, whereas Schindler is credited with converting that architectural motif into the overlapping corporate emblem. Ray Kroc was the company’s major business leader, not the logo’s designer.

McDonald’s also added the words “McDonald’s” beneath the arches in the 1962 version. The company subsequently refined the proportions and presentation, but the overlapping yellow arches remained the central visual identity of the brand.