There’s one McDonald’s restaurant that has turquoise instead of golden arches

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Getty Images | Justin Sullivan

We’re all very familiar with McDonald’s iconic golden arches. Whether driving along the highway, walking down the street or watching a commercial, the bright yellow “M” is unmistakable and has pretty much become synonymous with the fast-food chain itself.

It all began in 1952 when the McDonald brothers were interviewing architects to design their first location. Initially, the building’s design incorporated two arches, one on each side of the building, in an effort to catch people’s attention. Which it did. However, by the 1960s, the chain decided to let go of the two-arch building design and chose instead to use the golden arches as a logo.

The third McDonald’s restaurant to open (shown below), located in Downey, California, is now the oldest operating McDonald’s and the second restaurant to feature the golden arches design that initially put McDonald’s on the map.

Wikimedia Commons

While there were many interesting McDonald’s restaurants out there, including one in a colonial mansion, there’s only one that opted for turquoise rather than golden arches.

You’ll find the only McDonald’s in the world that boasts a light bluish-green “M” in Sedona, Arizona. If you’ve ever been to Sedona, you know it’s a picturesque city known for its natural beauty. The red rock formations, canyons, expansive desert, looming saguaro cacti and overall spiritual atmosphere make it a special place that some believe is home to vortexes that radiate the Earth’s power.

But the turquoise arches are so noteworthy that some visitors opt to post a pic of McDonald’s — not the stunning scenery — on Instagram when they pass through, like Instagram user @thegreatfamilyadventure did:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNaUe0DBvQ8/

If you’re wondering what the great beauty of the city has to do with the fact that it has the only Mickey D’s with turquoise arches, it actually has everything to do with it. Because Sedona is famous for its mountainous, red-rock landscape, it has strict laws for building structures and the aesthetics of those buildings. For example, the city has height restrictions on buildings in some areas so no building blocks the surrounding scenery. In other areas, homes can only be painted in certain shades of color.

When this particular McDonald’s was built in 1993, government officials decided to choose turquoise for the arches because, according to Reader’s Digest, they thought the traditional gold would clash with the surrounding scenery, while turquoise would complement it.

Getty Images

Funny enough, it’s also become somewhat of a tourist attraction in the city.

Instagrammers can be found posing outside the unique arches, like @eacheye, who wrote, “The only McDonald’s in the world with turquoise arches. I’m lovin’ it!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmmNQDmnYiU/

This McDonald’s even has an unofficial hashtag for its arches, #turquoisearches.

If you find yourself in the area, stop by for a one-of-a-kind McDonald’s experience.

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About the Author
Chelsea Davis
Chelsea is a freelance journalist based in New York City whose passion revolves around traveling the world, immersing herself in foreign cultures, and of course, eating and drinking everything delicious. She covers all things food, drink and travel and is always up for an adventure, whether that means an adrenaline-pumping excursion or trying a new cuisine. Follow her on Instagram at @cheycheyfromthebay and keep up with her latest work at www.chelseadavis.com.

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