Who designed McDonald’s Golden Arches logo in its 1962 corporate redesign?

Jim Schindler designed McDonald’s Golden Arches logo in the company’s 1962 corporate redesign.

The arches began as architectural features on McDonald’s restaurant buildings. Architect Stanley Meston created the original restaurant arches in the 1950s, but Schindler later combined the two arches into the stylized M used as the corporate logo.

This distinction matters because Stanley Meston is often credited with the arches generally, while Jim Schindler is associated with transforming the architectural idea into the recognizable logo. The logo helped unify restaurants as McDonald’s expanded beyond its original California base.

The Golden Arches later became one of the world’s most recognizable commercial symbols. Although the design has been adjusted in different applications, the central double-arch idea remains a defining part of McDonald’s visual identity.