Who designed the Golden Arches for McDonald's first purpose-built restaurants?

Stanley Clark Meston designed McDonald's Golden Arches for the chain's first purpose-built restaurants.

In 1952, McDonald's hired Meston, an architect based in California, to develop a distinctive restaurant design. The brothers wanted a building that could be recognized quickly from the road, and Meston created large yellow arches as part of the structure.

The arches were initially architectural features rather than a standalone corporate logo. Their bright color and unusual shape made them highly visible, and the design later evolved into the famous two-arched symbol used in McDonald's branding.

A common mix-up is crediting Ray Kroc or the McDonald brothers with the design. Kroc expanded the business, while Richard and Maurice McDonald created the original operating concept; Meston was the architect responsible for the arches.