Who designed the early McDonald’s restaurant buildings whose roofline inspired the Golden Arches?

Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the early McDonald’s restaurant buildings whose roofline inspired the Golden Arches.

Meston worked with sign consultant Jimmie Schindler on the distinctive 1950s restaurant design. The buildings featured two large, bright yellow arches at opposite sides of the structure, creating a highly visible roadside silhouette.

Those architectural arches were not initially conceived as the modern letter M. They were part of the building’s identity and helped restaurants stand out to motorists. Over time, the arches became more important than the building itself as a corporate symbol.

Ray Kroc’s expanding McDonald’s system preserved the arches while the company refined its graphic identity. This history explains why the Golden Arches are both an architectural reference and a logo symbol.