Who transformed McDonald's paired arches into the familiar “M” logo in 1962?

Jim Schindler transformed McDonald's paired arches into the familiar “M” logo in 1962.

The original Golden Arches were architectural elements on McDonald's restaurant buildings, designed to be noticed by drivers. Schindler, the company's head of engineering and design, combined the two arches into a single graphic mark that resembled the letter M.

This change was important because it made the arches portable. The symbol could appear on signs, menus, packaging and advertising even when a restaurant did not use the original building design. The logo therefore separated McDonald's identity from one specific architectural style.

The modern mark has changed in color treatment and surrounding design over time, but its basic two-arch form remains recognizable. People sometimes attribute the logo's creation to Ray Kroc because he expanded the company, yet Schindler is credited with the 1962 logo design.