Each year, millions of visitors travel to Sedona, Arizona, drawn by its world-class outdoor recreation and awe-inspiring natural beauty. In this small but proud community, residents are deeply committed to preserving the area’s scenic character. Strict local design standards ensure that no building or structure detracts from the surrounding red rock vistas or the town’s distinctive charm. When McDonald’s sought to open a location in Sedona, its signature bright yellow “Golden Arches” clashed with the community’s established character. City officials and residents pushed back, insisting that even a global brand must respect Sedona’s unique aesthetic. As a result, the restaurant adapted its signage by replacing the iconic yellow with turquoise to better harmonize with the landscape and character of the community.

Community involvement in urban design is an often overlooked but necessary process. There are essential buildings and infrastructure every urban area needs such as grocery stores, offices, and restaurants. However, many small towns sacrifice their existing identity to have access to these desired services and businesses. It is decisions like the turquoise arches in Sedona that demonstrate that communities don’t have to conform to the corporate standard of Anytown, USA. Community character and corporate development can exist in harmony.

Like Sedona, several other areas have convinced McDonald’s to shift their branding into something that more consistently aligns with their town’s identity. Rockland, California, has changed their arches from gold to a soft red. In Monterey, California, and Scottsdale, Arizona, the yellow has been shifted to black as to not dominate or clash with the community aesthetic.

These design choices not only show these communities’ determination to safeguard their values but also the appreciation of visitors. Sedona’s turquoise arches have become a hub of tourist activity, becoming a tourist attraction in and of itself. The food is not what boosts the restaurant’s popularity, rather the quirky consideration of community character with which it is served. Shakespeare once famously mused, “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The same, it appears, can be said for the color of the infamous arches.