Who designed the recognizable golden “M” logo introduced for McDonald's in 1962?

Jim Schindler designed the recognizable golden “M” logo introduced for McDonald's in 1962.

Schindler's design transformed the restaurant's earlier architectural arches into a unified symbol. The two arches were joined visually to create the letter M, which became one of the world's most recognizable corporate marks.

The logo followed McDonald's expansion under Ray Kroc, who had begun franchising the restaurant concept in the 1950s. Its simple shape worked well on signs, packaging, uniforms, and advertising, helping the brand look consistent across many locations.

The logo is sometimes attributed to the architects who designed the original restaurant buildings. Stanley Clark Meston did design the early arches as architecture, but Jim Schindler is credited with creating the 1962 logo form. Later versions changed colors and surrounding elements without abandoning the basic golden M.