Who redesigned McDonald’s logo into the familiar golden-arches “M” in 1962?

Jim Schindler redesigned McDonald’s logo into the familiar golden-arches “M” in 1962. His design turned two architectural arches into a single, recognizable letterform.

The arches had originally been part of McDonald’s restaurant architecture rather than simply a graphic symbol. The early restaurants used distinctive yellow arches to make locations visible from the road. Schindler’s redesign connected those separate structural elements into the stylized “M” used in McDonald’s branding.

A common mix-up is crediting Ray Kroc with designing the arches. Kroc was central to McDonald’s expansion and franchising, but the 1962 logo redesign is credited to Schindler. The arches also predate the modern logo as physical features on restaurant buildings.

The 1962 redesign helped establish one of the world’s most recognizable corporate marks. Later versions changed details such as surrounding colors and lettering, but the golden-arches concept remained central to McDonald’s identity.