As McDonald’s celebrated 50 years in Australia, Ben Pedersen reflected on his journey with the company.
A supervisor at McDonald’s Seymour, Mr Pedersen started a part-time job at a McDonald’s in New Zealand 25 years ago and has been with the business ever since.
He said he thrived in the team environment and the ability to grow and develop is why he never left.
‘‘I was able to gain a range of skills and progress in the business and it’s fantastic to now see that happening for other people,’’ he said.
‘‘Working as a supervisor in a couple of stores means I get to see people starting where I did and, through the years, I’ve seen them progress.’’
Using its 50th anniversary to thank Aussie customers, Macca’s will be throwing its biggest celebration yet, launching a new range of never-before-seen promotions, menu items and unique collaborations from June until the end of August.
The first promotion proved popular, with 50 cent Big Macs flying out of the Seymour store on June 18.
Opening the doors to its first Australian restaurant in 1971, McDonald’s now boasts 1009 restaurants nationwide, employing more than 107,000 people and serving two million people every day.
McDonald’s Seymour opened on May 16, 2007, with licensee Luke Crozier taking the reins in 2017. A large renovation was also completed in 2017 to add a playground and make the restaurant easier for customers to navigate.
While it’s disappointing to not run as many local community programs due to COVID-19 restrictions, Mr Pedersen said he was looking forward to several other McDonald’s promotions and campaigns.
‘‘The 1000th McDonald’s restaurant opened in Australia in 2020. It is a different way of thinking and has a sustainable focus, with McDonald’s aiming to reduce it’s carbon footprint,’’ he said.
‘‘Other exciting things include the Grand Big Mac and Mac Junior, the popular Coca-Cola glasses coming out again and a colloboration with Space Jam: A New Legacy for the Happy Meals.
‘‘And as soon as it’s safe, we’ll be recommencing all the popular community events in Seymour and district. We’re keen to get back out in the community and help out as much as we can.’’