Who designed the Golden Arches for McDonald's early restaurants in the 1950s?

Stanley Clark Meston designed the Golden Arches for McDonald's early restaurants in the 1950s.

Meston was an architect who worked with the McDonald brothers and their contractor, George Dexter, on the design of the new restaurant buildings. The arches were not originally intended as a standalone corporate logo. They were large yellow architectural features built into the sides of the restaurants and were meant to attract motorists.

The first arches appeared on a McDonald's restaurant in Downey, California, which opened in 1953. The building's two arches were visible from the road and became a distinctive part of the chain's roadside identity.

A common mix-up is crediting Ray Kroc with designing the arches. Kroc expanded McDonald's nationally, but Meston created the architectural design. The arches later became the famous letter M used in McDonald's branding.