The Only McDonald’s With Turquoise Arches In The World

Every McDonald’s restaurant in the globe has its own distinct atmosphere. This is the only McDonald’s with green arches in the world, and it is located in Sedona, Arizona, United States of America. Why does it have green arches instead of the more recognized yellow ones?

McDonald’s letter M in bright yellow must be one of the most famous and identifiable logos in the world. It adorns McDonald’s restaurants worldwide, to the extent that “The Golden Arches” has become virtually synonymous with McDonald’s.

However, there is one McDonald’s whose emblem is a bright bluish-green rather of the iconic yellow. In Sedona, Arizona, you will only see turquoise arches!

When you see the iconic Golden Arches, you know you’ve arrived at one of McDonald’s more than 36,000 locations worldwide. Unless, of course, you are in West Sedona. Visitors driving through Oak Creek Canyon on Route 89A, Arizona’s first designated scenic roadway, are greeted to the only McDonald’s restaurant with turquoise arches anywhere in the world.

The McDonald’s in West Sedona was constructed in 1993. While the exact hue of the arches is debatable (some say they’re teal, others claim they’re turquoise), it is undeniable that they are not the distinctive yellow that graces other franchise locations across the world. The original Sedona arches were opaque and appeared black at night, so in 2015 they gained illumination to increase their visibility at night. The original arches were donated by the owner to the Sedona Heritage Museum, where they remain on exhibit.

Why Are the McDonald’s Arches in Sedona a Different Color?

When your community has the amazing natural beauty of Sedona, you take the preservation of that beauty very seriously. McDonald’s representatives engaged in meetings with Sedona’s city council and Planning & Zoning commission when they approached the city about opening a restaurant in the shopping center. The West Sedona plans were created to be consistent with the Pueblo-revival architecture of the shopping center without detracting from the natural beauty of the surrounding area, in contrast to the conventional McDonald’s design with its enormous arches and red and yellow color scheme.

Whether they knew it or not, their partnership would result in the construction of an additional tourist attraction in Sedona, Arizona. Today, people from all over the world stop at a roadside restaurant not only to eat, but also to take pictures with the world’s only blue arches.

Sedona, Arizona Municipal Codes

The city regulations of Sedona maintain the city’s magnificent natural terrain so that residents and visitors can enjoy it. Once you’ve witnessed the expansive skies and breathtaking red rock mountains for yourself, you’ll understand why Sedona’s building codes are so stringent. When McDonald’s sought to open the now-famous West Sedona facility, the city planner and staff had in place design review rules that guided the design process and guaranteed the site was consistent with the city’s character and surroundings.

City rules in Sedona prevent constructions from interfering with the natural landscape. The building code also ensures that completed structures will complement the landscape’s natural hues. This meant that McDonald’s iconic yellow arches would not work in their new location. And despite the fact that the turquoise arches constituted a substantial change from their regular style, they proved to be the ideal compliment to the city’s natural color palette.

Sedona, Arizona Building Regulations

Sedona’s turquoise arches are distinctive and symbolize the city’s citizens’ commitment to being conscientious stewards of the land. And while Sedona, Arizona’s construction standards were crafted with care to promote measured and sensitive growth, comparable laws exist worldwide to ensure that contemporary comforts, historic landmarks, and natural landscapes may coexist. In fact, travelers can find more unique McDonald’s restaurants in a number of cities throughout the world.

There’s a funny explanation for the color change, so don’t worry. Centrally located in Arizona, the city of Sedona is renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty, namely its red rock mountainous scenery. Because of this terrain, there are regulations in place for Sedona construction to ensure that no structure interferes with the surrounding natural scenery. When McDonald’s was constructed there in 1993, local officials assumed that a bright yellow M would serve this purpose. They argued that gold would clash with the neighboring red rocks, so they opted for a softer, more aesthetically pleasing blue. You read it correctly; the arches are blue because gold did not match the (natural) aesthetic of the city. These are the things McDonald’s personnel will not tell you, even if they do not know the reason.

Regardless of the reason, the color change makes this McDonald’s stand out. In fact, these distinctive not-so-golden arches have become an essential Sedona tourist attraction.