The “Golden Arches” McDonald’s logo is one of the most recognized commercial symbols in the world, but there is one place where the arches are actually blue instead of yellow.

On the inside, the McDonald’s fast-food restaurant in Sedona, Arizona, looks just like the thousands of other McDonald’s eateries around the United States, but step outside and you’ll notice something odd. The iconic Golden Arches logo is blue instead of yellow. It’s actually the only McDonald’s in the world that doesn’t have a yellow logo, and it’s all because of the stunning natural beauty, particularly the red rock formations that surround Sedona.

Photo: Nicholas R. Gioello,Community Development Department of Sedona

The small Arizona settlement incorporated as a town in 1998, and it wasn’t long before a local entrepreneur decided to open a McDonald’s restaurant there. Only there was a catch; because of Seldona’s beautiful natural scenery, local authorities wanted all businesses to blend into the natural landscape of desert and red rock, instead of distracting from it.

The bright yellow arches of the original McDonald’s logo was considered to distracting, so when franchise owner Greg Cook approached the Community Development Department about opening the restaurant, they worked together to find a compromise. In the end, they opted to adopt the teal (greenish blue) of the shopping center next door, which was considered a more tame option.

Interestingly, Sedona also strictly regulates the height of business signage, making the iconic arches of this McDonald’s eatery much lower than other eateries around the United States.

Back in 1993, when the Sedona McDonald’s opened its doors for the first time, the blue arches may have been regarded as a worthwhile compromise by its owner, but it proved to be great for business in the long run. As the only known McDonald’s with teal arches instead of yellow, the small-town restaurant has become somewhat of a tourist attraction.

“I’ve seen people get out and take pictures in front of the sign with their families,” development services manager, Nicholas Gioello, said.

To this day, the town of Sedona continues to enforce special laws that regulate sign brightness, exterior lighting and the colors of building materials in order to preserve the natural beauty of the area.