Who designed the 1962 McDonald’s logo that transformed the arches into a simple “M”?

Jim Schindler designed the 1962 McDonald’s logo that transformed the separate architectural arches into a stylized “M.” His design joined the two arches visually and established the core form of the modern Golden Arches symbol.

The earlier arches had been built into restaurant structures, where they functioned as roadside design elements. Schindler’s work turned that idea into a compact graphic mark suitable for signs, packaging, uniforms, and corporate materials.

The logo has been adjusted in color, lettering, and presentation over the decades, but its basic double-arch silhouette has remained remarkably stable. Stanley Clark Meston is often named in connection with the arches because he designed the original buildings, whereas Schindler is associated with the crucial 1962 graphic-logo refinement.