McDonald's traces its beginnings to May 15, 1940, when brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald's Famous Barbecue restaurant in San Bernardino, California.
McDonald's Famous Hamburgers[]
1948–1953[]
Designer:
Unknown
Typography:
Unknown
Launched:
December 1948
The restaurant changed its name to McDonald's Famous Hamburgers to reflect their change in focus from barbecue to hamburgers in December 1948.
McDonald's[]
1953–1961[]
The restaurant's name was shortened to McDonald's in 1953. McDonald's Corporation was founded on April 15, 1955, and this became the company's first logo. Despite being replaced in 1961, this logo was still used in some commercials until 1968.
In 2021, this logo was revived in Japan for vintage packaging to commemorate the 50th anniversary of McDonald's' Japanese division. It is also used on the McDonald's headquarters in Chicago.
1961–1968[]
Designer:
Jim Schindler
Typography:
Unknown
Launched:
September 13, 1961
On September 13, 1961, McDonald's, under the guidance of Ray Kroc, filed for a trademark for a new logo depicting an overlapping, double-arched "M" symbol with a line drawn through it, known as the "Golden Arches" and designed by Jim Schindler, McDonald's then-head of engineering and design. It would come to define the company's brand identity throughout the ensuing decades. Although it was officially replaced in 1968, this logo is still used at some locations, including the oldest surviving McDonald's location in Downey, California (which opened in 1953).
1968–2003[]
Designer:
Unknown
Typography:
Custom
Launched:
November 18, 1968
On November 18, 1968, McDonald's filed a trademark for a revised version of its "Golden Arches" logo. This logo made its debut in the 1968 Big Mac introduction commercial. Despite being replaced as the corporate logo in 1975, it was still seen on most packaging and advertising until 1984 and on most signage in the United States and internationally until 2006, when the chain began its "Forever Young" redesign; today, only a few locations remain worldwide that still use this logo on signage.
1975–2003[]
Designer:
Unknown
Typography:
Custom
Launched:
April 24, 1975
This logo was still used at most locations worldwide after the introduction of the following logo until the 2006 redesign. By 2004, it had been removed from most packaging worldwide (except in Indonesia, which used it on certain packaging until 2010). However, a few select locations still use this logo for signage unaffected by the 2006 redesign.
1993–2003[]
Around 1993, McDonald's began using a version of its logo that omitted the wordmark entirely and added a drop shadow (which had been used for McKids earlier in 1990). However, this would not become one of its main logos until 1995, when the company introduced a new packaging style, and used alongside the 1975 logo until 2003. Certain types of packaging continued to use this logo until 2006, and it remained internationally on several items and packaging until 2010.
May–September 2003[]
In May 2003, McDonald's began using a version of its 1993 logo that removed the drop shadow (similarly to its 1997 "My McDonald's" and "Did Somebody Say McDonald's?" campaigns) and placed it inside a rounded red square. However, this version, which was only used on commercials and print ads, was short-lived, as the company unveiled its first major redesign in September 2003.
2003–2006[]
Designer:
Heye & Partner
Typography:
Helvetica Neue 75 Bold
Launched:
September 2, 2003
On June 12, 2003, McDonald's unveiled a significantly revised version of the logo it had used in some capacity since 1968. The logo's unveiling coincided with the announcement of its "I'm lovin' it" advertising campaign, which was launched in Germany on September 2, 2003, before launching in the United States on September 21. Despite being replaced as the main logo in 2006, it was still used on some packaging (such as that of the Happy Meal) until 2009.
Akzidenz-Grotesk Bold (2006–2014) Lovin' Sans (2014–18) Speedee (2018–present)
Launched:
September 28, 2006
This logo's introduction coincides with the company's first restaurant redesign in decades (officially titled "Forever Young").
2018–present[]
This version, officially named "the Token", was introduced in October 2018; it was accompanied by the introduction of the new corporate font Speedee (named after one of McDonald's first mascots), which replaced the Lovin' Sans font the company had been using since 2014. Primarily used on packaging and promotional media, it was unaccompanied by the "I'm lovin' it" slogan until 2020, when it was officially revived with a commercial aired during Super Bowl LIV.
