The Golden Arches: How McDonald’s Turned Architecture into a Global Trademark

The Golden Arches are among the most recognized commercial symbols worldwide. In 1952, architect Richard Dorner designed a building with two curved arches for a McDonald’s franchisee. Jim Schindler later noticed they formed an M from the side and combined them into the Golden Arches logo in 1962. US Trademark Reg. No.: 1,366,884. In 2019, EUIPO invalidated the Big Mac EU trademark for non-use, showing even famous marks need active maintenance. McDonald’s also protects its yellow-and-red color combination as a trademark. The building came first; the brand value came after.