McDonald’s fast found restaurants are known for the “golden arches”—the yellow arches that decorated its early restaurants and the two yellow arches in the McDonald’s letter “M.” Architect Stanley Meston designed the restaurant arches in 1953. Both “Golden Arch” and “The Golden Arches” are trademarked.
   
McDonald’s advertised “With the Golden Arches” in a May 1961 newspaper and “the drive-in with the golden arches” in a June 1961 newspaper.
 
   
Wikipedia: Golden Arches 
The Golden Arches are the symbol of McDonald’s, the global fast-food restaurant chain. Originally, real arches were part of the restaurant design. They were incorporated into the chain’s logo in 1962, which resembled a stylized restaurant, and in the current Golden Arches logo, introduced 1968, resembling an “M” for “McDonald’s”.
 
History
The arches were introduced in 1953, when Richard and Maurice McDonald were building their first franchised outlet in Phoenix, Arizona. Architect Stanley Meston designed a walk-up hamburger stand with red and white tiles and a distinctive sloped roof, but Richard, wanting more visual appeal, sketched a pair of stylized yellow arches, one at each side. Meston accepted other changes but rejected the arches; in the end, sign-maker George Dexter was hired to construct the arches. When viewed from an angle, the two yellow arches design was reminiscent of the two loops forming the letter “M” for McDonald’s.
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The term “Golden Arches” is sometimes used as metonym, symbolizing capitalism or globalization in phrases such as the “Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention”, since McDonald’s is one of the more prominent American corporations that have become global in their reach (along with Coca-Cola and Nike).
 
McDonald’s—History
1955
Des Plaines Location Opens
Kroc opens his first McDonald’s in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 15. The attention getting red and white tiled building with the Golden Arches was designed by architect Stanley Meston in 1953.
 
4 May 1961, Ogden (UT) Standard-Examiner, pg. 7C, col. 4 ad: 
McDONALD’S
“With the Golden Arches”
 
23 June 1961, Rockford (IL) Morning Star, pg. A9, col. 7 ad:
at
McDonald’s
the drive-in with the golden arches
 
OCLC WorldCat record 
Beneath the Golden Arches: The McDonald’s Corporation [and] Teacher’s Guide.
Author: Edward F Brufke; Inc Boston MA Business History and Economic Life Program
Publisher: Business History and Economic Life Program, Inc., 1 Lake Hall, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115 ($1.50, class set of 30 for $36.00). 1980-00-00
Edition/Format: Book : English
Database: ERIC The ERIC database is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education.
Summary: This teacher developed case study which surveys the meteoric rise of the McDonald’s Corporation and that of its chief promoter, Ray Kroc, is intended to help secondary students develop an understanding of economics and of the decision-making process. A teacher’s guide containing questions for discussion and suggestions for class activities is included. Students study a model corporation exclusively concentrating on a fast food operation and its development from a single company-owned store to a large predominantly franchised service operation. In the case study Kroc’s motivation, salesmenship, and business acumen are traced. His interest in the fast food business and his eventual acquisition of the name, plant, and business operation of the McDonald brothers is discussed. The case surveys the early years of the Corporation, the growth years, management, marketing and advertising, job training, and social response. Through the case study students develop a working knowledge of the concepts of advertising, decentralization, expansion, management, franchise, market research, incorporation, personnel training, quality control, and mass production. (Author/RM)
 
OCLC WorldCat record
The Origins of McDonald’s Golden Arches
Author: Alan Hess
Edition/Format: Article
Publication: Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, v45 n1 (198603): 60-67
Database: CrossRef
 
OCLC WorldCat record 
Orange roofs, golden arches : the architecture of American chain restaurants
Author: Philip Langdon
Publisher: New York : Knopf : Distributed by Random House, 1986.
Edition/Format: Book : English
Summary: An affectionate history of the architecture, design, and décor of American chain restaurants, from their beginnings in the 1870s (the early Harvey Houses at railroad stations on the Western frontier) to the mid-1980s (McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Pizza Hut, etc.). Illustrated with more than 150 black-and-white or full-color photographs, paintings, architectural renderings, floor plans, postcards, and much more.—From publisher description.
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark GOLDEN ARCH
Goods and Services IC 042. US 100. G & S: Restaurant Services. FIRST USE: 19770800. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19770800
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 73379303
Filing Date August 11, 1982
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition May 10, 1983
Registration Number 1247382
Registration Date August 2, 1983
Owner (REGISTRANT) McDonald’s Corporation CORPORATION DELAWARE One McDonald’s Plz. Oak Brook ILLINOIS 60523
Attorney of Record SHEILA A. LEHR
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20030823.
Renewal 1ST RENEWAL 20030823
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark THE GOLDEN ARCHES
Goods and Services IC 042. US 100. G & S: Restaurant Services. FIRST USE: 19780600. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19780600
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 73379054
Filing Date August 9, 1982
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition June 7, 1983
Registration Number 1250082
Registration Date August 30, 1983
Owner (REGISTRANT) McDonald’s Corporation CORPORATION DELAWARE 1 McDonald’s Plz. Oak Brook ILLINOIS 60523
Prior Registrations 0819996
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20031103.
Renewal 1ST RENEWAL 20031103
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE