Why One McDonald’s Location Features Turquoise Arches Instead of Gold

When McDonald’s first set its sights on this tiny desert town, few expected a fight. After all, this was a company whose golden arches were as familiar as the sun rising over the horizon. But Sedona, Arizona, a place where the red rocks rise like ancient guardians and the desert sky stretches in endless sapphire, wasn’t just any town. Its people, steeped in centuries of cultural awareness, tourism-driven stewardship, and a deep reverence for the landscape, weren’t about to let a global corporate icon land on their streets unchanged. The reaction was immediate, strong, and pointed: if McDonald’s wanted a presence here, it would have to respect more than zoning codes—it would have to honor Sedona’s visual soul.