A Tale of Two McDonalds

We are all familiar with McDonalds.

​Or are we?

McDonalds is consistent, you know what you're going to get, it's the same all over the world. It's a little piece of familiar, American comfort wherever you go. Same old, same old.

Or is it?

Food aside, McDonalds restaurants can be tasty little nuggets of extraordinary architecture and decor, just as I discovered on today's Route 66 trip.

At Barstow Station, California on Route 66 there is a McDonalds that includes a train carriage, bringing Mother Road nostalgia and charm to the Macky Dee experience. It is a unique stopover that pays homage to the idea of taking a driving break to savor an inexpensive meal with family. Barstow Station is the site of a cultural center with shops, information and even a small museum. Chug-chug-chugging through the drive-thru was a fantastic experience. Toot! Toot! Yes, the burgers were the same, just as expected, however, the building, the train carriage and the experience was completely unexpected. I have never seen anything like it! 

This McDonalds represents the spirit of adventure and exploration in America.

There is another McDonalds that is similarly unique and one with which I am familiar having lived in Arizona for over 20 years, it is the McDonalds in Sedona. This McDonalds is unique as it is the only McDonalds in the world that has turquoise arches rather than the usual tall and glorious Golden Arches. The turquoise arches are a nod to Southwestern culture with a contemporary architectural aesthetic. In various Native American traditions turquoise, both the color and the stone, is associated with protection and positive energy. These turquoise arches symbolize a connection to the Sedona landscape, complimenting the red rocks, swirling vortexes and the vast blue sky.

This McDonalds represents the spiritual and natural beauty of America.

These two McDonalds represent the very best of unusual yet familiar Americana.