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ONE of the rarest McDonald’s in the world has ditched the iconic golden arches and gone blue for a very surprising reason.

McDonald’s has over 41,000 restaurants across the globe but one branch in Arizona has managed to stray from the traditional yellow and red branding for over three decades.

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One of the rarest McDonald’s in the world has ditched the iconic golden arches and turned them blue[/caption]

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The arches in Sedona, Arizona are an unusual teal colour for a surprising reason[/caption]

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The blue arches have quickly made the restaurant into a popular tourist attraction[/caption]

The quirky Sedona restaurants is located just off State Route 89A and welcomes in thousands of hungry visitors every day.

But many people are still left in disbelief when they spot the teal arches sitting proudly outside the restaurant.

McDonald’s decided to open up in the bustling city just a few years after it was incorporated into the state of Arizona – thrilling locals with the tasty addition.

The fast-food joint was first built over three decades ago in 1993 and originally planned to have the golden arches like every other branch.

But the Department of Community Development in Sedona was left with a bitter taste in their mouth due to the bright gold arches and asked to change things up.

The community had decided it didn’t want to see the shiny “M” towering over Route 89A and instead wanted it to fit into the surrounding area.

Sedona is known for its natural red rock landscape, steep canyons and pine trees and locals feared the yellow may detract from the beauty of the area.

Senior planner for the department, Cari Meyer, told ABC 15 back in 2022: “Someone suggested it would be interesting if they did something else than golden arches to fit in with the identity that the city decided to establish.”

McDonald’s agreed to switch the arches to a teal shade to avoid upsetting the locals – marking a rare brand change for McDonald’s.

Mr Meyer says the blue logo is still seen as one of Sedona’s biggest talking points for visitors and new residents.

Her added: “It’s definitely unique.

“When I first moved here, it’s what people brought up. ‘Oh, you are moving to Sedona? They have turquoise arches!'”

This popularity has made the colour change a key part of the branch’s brand still to this day.

Drinks were even served in teal cups with the burger boxes matching up to the sign out the front at one point.

Inside, it still remains a beloved McDonald’s with the classic fast food design and delicious menu.

The front of the restaurant has become a social media sensation in the past decades with weekly TikTok‘s and Instagram posts being made to showcase the teal look.

Only a few other McDonald’s locations have non-traditional coloured arches. 

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Even the restaurant’s drive-thru sign is teal[/caption]

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A McDonald’s Big Mac sat next to the traditional golden arches[/caption]

While the blue arches are a truly special switch-up for McDonald’s lovers, there are several other global restaurants with different colours.

McDonald’s in Sunset Boulevard, Rocklin, California has red arches instead of golden one.

Also in California, the Monterrey franchise can be seen from miles away with its black arches.

Across in Europe, one sits on the stunning Champs-Élysées in Paris is often cited as one of the world’s best looking McDonald’s with its neon white arches.

Similar white signs also light up a McDonald’s in Bruges, Belgium.

Another hugely popular McDonald’s sits in Nyugati Railway Station, Budapest and it is often named the world’s most beautiful fast food restaurant.

The station was designed by Austrian architect August de Serres, who later went on to help built the Eiffel Tower.

It opened back in 1990 and many of the original features still renain today including the antique lamps and painted stucco ceilings.

The vintage design has huge glass windows around the entire building, as well as copper-covered light fixtures.

Along with the more modern designs including touch screen kiosks, diners can even watch the food conveyor belt between the two levels of the kitchen a “unique” feature to the McDonald’s.

And it’s not the only cool McDonald’s in Europe.

One in Spain has been named the “most breathtaking,” being right on the beach.

As a Hamburg McDonald’s comes fit with a “drive-thru for boats” and has been named the coolest in the world.

IT’S one of the best-loved video games of all time – and now Tetris’s 40th anniversary is set to be celebrated with the largest interactive multiplayer version of the game ever.

From next Monday, fans of the world famous block-stacking game can join up to six others for a supersized match at London’s Outernet, Europe’s largest digital exhibition space.

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The Sun has been given exclusive access to Outernet London where visitors will be able to join in the massive game of Tetris from Monday 28th October[/caption]

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Tetris has been transformed into a multiplayer game, allowing up to seven people at a time to work together to beat the game[/caption]

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All you need to do to join in is scan the QR code found on the screens with your phone[/caption]

The Sun was given exclusive early access to Outernet London, just a short hop from Tottenham Court Road station, where next week visitors will be able to play for free in 360-degrees across five colossal 26k resolution screens. 

Maya Rogers, CEO of Tetris, said: “We haven’t done anything like this before, so I’m so excited to be able to bring Tetris to people in this way.

“This extraordinary installation is a testament to the timeless appeal of Tetris and our commitment to creating experiences that bring joy to the Tetris community. 

Joining in is easy – all you need is a smartphone to join the free Wi-Fi and scan a QR code, at which point you are assigned your colour and blocks will start to appear and drop.

Tetris is usually one player but to celebrate the decades it has spent bringing people together over their love of gaming, the developers have made it so that up to seven people can join in and work together to beat the game.

Maya said to The Sun: “I hope this experience will be a bonding experience for people. 

“It’s really a game that has no boundaries, that has no cultural barriers – and the idea of you being able to walk into the space and then start playing with other people, I think is the perfect way to showcase that.”

As the daughter of Henk Rogers, the man who helped bring Tetris out of the Soviet Union and onto games consoles worldwide, it’s no wonder the game is so close to her heart. 

“I’ve talked to so many people around the world and every single person that I’ve talked to that has played the game can tell me a story, a fond memory of playing Tetris,” Maya added.

“And I feel the same way when I play the game. It’s as simple as that for me, Tetris is joy. 

“As long as people are playing games, Tetris will be around. There’s a little bit of Tetris in everything that people play.”

Tetris’s origins can be traced back to 1984, when programmer Alexey Pajitnov developed the game at the Soviet Academy of Sciences.

The game was so addictive, it had to be banned from the Moscow Medical Institute because of the impact it was having on productivity. 

Western computer developers were keen to get their hands on it and it soon became caught up in a complex dispute over who owned the rights. 

But over a session playing a classic Japanese board game, Henk and Alexey formed a bond that secured the rights to Tetris for the Nintendo Gameboy and NES console. 

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Even Sun reporter Tom was able to get a hang of landing the blocks[/caption]

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Tetris was created 40 years ago by Alexey Pajitnov, and it soon spread around the Soviet Union – and proved notoriously addictive[/caption]

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The Tetris Company has partnered with Outernet London to celebrate the game’s anniversary in spectacular fashion[/caption]

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Joining in is easy – the attraction is completely free of charge, and Wi-Fi is provided[/caption]

Soon, millions were clicking away and, in the four decades since its birth, Tetris has sold more than 520 million units and had more than 615 million downloads onto mobile devices.

Bringing the game to the big screen was no mean feat, and Outernet’s team have been working hard to make sure every single visitor throughout October, November and December will be able to have as much fun as possible.

Alexandra Payne, Director of Creative at Outernet, said: “We’re thrilled to host the 40th anniversary of Tetris – it really goes to the core of what Outernet is all about. 

“It’s about immersive experiences, about community. It’s about creating events that people can come together and enjoy as a group. 

Jad Zouein, Outernet’s creative technology director, explained that their giant interactive version of the game “wouldn’t have been possible” even just five years ago, due to the cutting-edge tech that’s built into it.

He added: “We kind-of democratised Tetris in a way. And with the help of Tetris themselves, we were able to create this concept.”

Play the biggest interactive game of Tetris ever at Outernet for free from Monday 28th October.

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Be warned – blocks can sometimes appear in unexpected places[/caption]

SIR Keir Starmer today hailed the “fantastic work” of King Charles after the Monarch was heckled by an Aussie politician.

Hard-left senator Lidia Thorpe, who was once “banned” from a Melbourne strip club, sparked fury as she yelled at the King while he was delivering a landmark speech in Australia’s Parliament House.

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Sir Keir Starmer backed the King following the incident[/caption]

Charles was given a 20-second standing ovation for his address and was taking his seat when Thorpe yelled out “You are not our King” and “You destroyed our land”.

As security stood in the way to prevent her from getting near the King who was sitting beside Camilla just 30 feet away, she called out to him: “This is not your land, you are not our King.”

The monarch brushed off the awkward encounter and continued to smile as Thorpe was embarrassingly walked out by security.

Responding to the incident, the PM called Charles an “incredible ambassador” and praised his ongoing engagements across the Commonwealth while battling cancer.

He told The Sun: “The King is doing a fantastic job.

“He is an incredible ambassador not just for our country, but across the Commonwealth.

“And we should remember in the context of health that he is out there doing his public service, notwithstanding the health challenges he himself has had.”

Doubling down on her stunt, Thorpe told Times Radio the Royal Family should “own up” and “sign a treaty saying “they have benefited from the killings of indigenous peoples”.

She later re-posted a cartoon of the King on her Instagram, which was created by Matt Chun, co-editor of anti-imperialist publication The Sunday Paper.

Thorpe was tagged in the caricature showing a beheaded Charles with a crown lying next to him.

It reads: “You are not our King. You are not our sovereign.”

Senator Thorpe, 51, is an Aboriginal Australian independent politician and has been a senator for Victoria since 2000.

HOUSEHOLDS’ bad energy habits could be adding a whopping £117 to their bills each year.

You could be losing out on huge amounts of cash each year by picking up bad daily habits at home which waste energy.

According to the comparison and switching service Uswitch.com, nearly all households (96%) admit to having at least one bad energy habit that could be costing them money.

For example, they admitted to regularly leaving lights on, running appliances for longer than they need, and failing to turn them off at the plug when they are not in use.

Energy expert at Uswitch Elise Melville said: “Energy bills are on the rise as winter arrives, so now is a good time to think about improving your energy habits to save money.

“Occasionally leaving the lights on or overfilling the kettle could be forgiven now and then, but if these bad habits are the norm, you could be adding hundreds to your energy bill unnecessarily.”

The expert also recommended that households download the free Uswitch mobile app to track how much energy they are using

It can connect to your smart meter if you have one, showing you which parts of your home are eating up the most energy – and showing you where to start limiting your usage.

It’s especially important for households to be conscious of their energy usage this winter as the energy price cap rose by 10% this month.

Learning small ways to reduce your consumption is a useful method to lessen the financial burden this winter – and could save you as much as £117 across the year.

To find out which bad energy habits you need to scrap, keep reading.

Using the tumble dryer on a sunny day

When it comes to tumble dryers and other white goods, Elise recommended: “using the eco mode and running them only when full to keep costs down.”

But there are also many instances when you shouldn’t be using your tumble dryer at all – like if it’s hot outside.

According to the Uswitch survey, 42% of households admitted to doing this.

A tumble dryer which uses 2.5kWh of energy per cycle costs 61p, and if you have multiple people living in your house and do three cycles a week, this might cost around £95 over a year.

Uswitch said this is £29.54 more cash than you need to be spending annually.

To stop the drain on your energy bill you should maximise good weather by drying your clothes for free on a washing line.

Other ways to save on tumble dryer expenses include heated airers which can dry clothes in the winter for a low cost if placed in the right part of your home.

Letting the hot shower run while you’re not in it

Most of us like to wait before getting in the shower to give the water some time to warm up.

But 39% of households admitted to leaving the shower running even when it was hot.

This costs households an average of £19.41 extra on bills every year.

To cut this cost, always remember to stand by the shower and check when it’s warm so you can get in straight away.

Money-saving experts recommend you try and keep your normal body shower to under five minutes.

If you’d like to reduce your general water wastage from showering, an aerated or regulated shower head could save you around six litres per minute and £40 across the year.

Running the washing machine at 40C or more

Uswitch said that more than two-thirds of households set their washing machine at more than 40C.

By making an easy change to your settings and washing your clothes at 30C, you could save £17 across the year.

To cut these costs it’s also important to regularly put the appliance on eco mode to save energy.

Running the tumble dryer when it’s not full

Around half of households also admitted to running the tumble dryer when it was not full.

And by making this change households could save an additional £16 each year.

Which, when combined with your savings on washing machine use, could amount to a grand saving of £40.

Letting the hot tap keep running while washing up

Letting the tap run while you’re doing your washing up is pouring money down the drain.

In fact, it’s adding approximately £10 each year to your annual energy bill.

Over half of households admitted to this bad habit while doing the daily activity.

Uswitch said: A running hot tap can waste 100 litres in just ten minutes, also wasting 20p in energy costs.

“Households that do this one a week could run up an additional £10 a year.”

It’s better to run a certain amount into a washing up bowl so you can see how much you’re using, or turn the tap on just to wet your sponge.

Leaving lights on when not in the room

Nearly three-fifths (58%) of households leave the lights on when no one is in the room, which could add nearly £8 to annual bills.

Switching off lights is an easy thing to do, but can sometimes escape your mind when you’re in a rush.

It’s worth always checking the rooms of your house before you leave or go to sleep at night as it could save you precious cash.

You can also install energy-saving light bulbs which can save £55 yearly compared to normal bulbs.

Running the dishwasher when it’s not full

Running the dishwasher when it’s not full adds an average of nearly £8 a year to energy bills – and almost half of households admitted to doing this.

You could also save an additional £16 by putting your appliance in eco mode.

By doing this as well as making sure you have a full dishwasher load, you could save £24 total.

Running the washing machine when it’s not full

Uswitch also said that half of households admitted to running their washing machine when it was not full.

They said: “With washing machines costing households £27 a year on average in electricity, an extra wash every week could add an extra £7 to yearly bills.”

If you did this as well as remembering to heat your wash at 30C, you could save £24 each year.

Leaving the TV on when no one is using it

The expert revealed that nearly 20million households admit to leaving the telly on when no one is watching – adding £1.61 a year to bills.

It’s always worth remembering this one before you leave the house, as wastage could be even more than this if left for long periods of time.

Leaving gadgets on standby

According to the research, 73% of households also admitted to leaving devices on standby, which is when it’s switched off, but not at the plug, and still uses energy.

And remembering to unplug all electricals which aren’t being used, you could save up to £6 a year.

Leaving the fridge door open

If you leave the fridge door longer than needed, you could be wasting £1.59 a year.

A third of households admitted to this bad habit which is wasting them unnecessary cash.

By doing this you could also be spoiling food at a quicker rate, meaning you’ll have to pay more money for extra food shops.

The Sun explained in a recent article the best way to store food in the fridge to save money.

Charging your phone when it’s reached max battery

Few households will notice that leaving your phone on charge while it has a full battery is wasting energy in your home.

In fact, 73% of households say they do this.

Leaving your phone on a charge like this can also damage your battery health and cause it to die quicker in future.

One way you can fix this is by going to “Battery” in Settings and turning on “Optimised Battery Charging” so it automatically stops when it is full.

If your phone doesn’t have this feature, make sure you charge it before bed and unplug it before you sleep.

If you turn it off, it will still be full in the morning.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

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