Who designed the original pair of Golden Arches for McDonald's first franchised restaurant?

Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the original pair of Golden Arches for McDonald's first franchised restaurant.

The arches were developed for the McDonald's restaurant opened in San Bernardino, California, in 1953 under franchisee Neil Fox. Meston worked with engineer Charles Fish to turn the brothers' visual idea into a distinctive roadside structure.

The large yellow arches stood at opposite ends of the building and were designed to be visible to passing motorists. Their bright color and unusual shape helped the restaurant stand out before the modern corporate logo existed.

The arches originally functioned as architectural elements rather than a simple letter “M.” In the early 1960s, designer Jim Schindler combined the visual forms into the familiar golden double-arch emblem. That later symbol became one of the world's most recognizable trademarks.