Who designed the two large arches that inspired McDonald’s Golden Arches branding?

Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the two large arches that inspired McDonald’s Golden Arches branding.

Meston worked with artist Charles Fish on the design of the McDonald brothers’ new restaurant buildings in the 1950s. The buildings used bold yellow arches at the sides, making them visible from the road and giving the restaurants a distinctive architectural identity.

The arches were originally parts of the building design rather than a standalone corporate logo. In the early 1960s, McDonald’s adapted them into the recognizable M-shaped symbol used by the company. Meston is therefore associated with the architectural arches, while Jim Schindler is associated with transforming the arches into the later logo.