Before the McChicken and the Happy Meal were introduced, a Florida woman has already been making customers happy as a worker at McDonald’s.
Barbara Cramer, now 75, has witnessed it all: the original Maccies drive-thru as well as the evolution of McDonald’s uniforms.
She has recently celebrated 53 years of working at the company with her fellow staff at a branch in Fort Pierce, Florida, and said ‘I just love it here.’
Cramer, who is originally from New Jersey, told WPTV News: “I just applied for the school board, and then the next day I applied here at this store, and they called me first.
“So I came here, and I winded up working my way up.”
Ricky Wade, the Fort Piece McDonald’s owner, also attended Cramer’s celebration, which included surprises and thoughtful messages.
“We are proud to have you as part of our family. We are honored to celebrate this special moment with you,” Wade expressed.
The 75-year-old also reflected on her time at Maccies and shared how things have changed over the years.
“Old registers where you had to punch in the total and you had to hit the bar to get the cash register out,” she told the news outlet.
Cramer has no plans to give up her career yet so she still works part-time at different branches.
Paul Hendel, also another McDonald’s worker, has given 50 years to the company after he applied to work at a newly opened branch in Merrick, New York at the age of 16.
Speaking to CNBC Make It, Hendel said: “Believe it or not, you needed to have an in to get a job at McDonald’s back then, so my brother, who was working in the kitchen, recommended me for the job.
“Everybody wanted to work here.”
50 years later, Hendel now owns 31 McDonald’s locations across Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan and Queens.
“I never thought it would be my forever job,” he expressed. “But I also can’t imagine working anywhere else.”
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section and SHARE this story with your friends and family!