Burger boss is calling it a day

RON has called it a McHappy day on his long career in Mackay and will retire on Monday

RETIREMENT: After opening Mackay's first McDonald's restaurant in 1990, Ron Reseck has decided to retire. Picture: Shakira Sellen

RON Reseck, who opened Mackay's first McDonald's in 1990, has made his last Big Mac for now.

Mr Reseck will finish up on Monday and pass on his Mackay store to daughter Niki Ramsay.

The family shares ownership of the Mackay outlets. Ms Ramsay and her brother Stuart Reseck own their own restaurants and their sister Paula Mckay does the bookkeeping for the business.

On April 2, 1990, Ron and Chree Reseck opened their eagerly anticipated drive-through restaurant in a newly developed area just off the Bruce Hwy at North Mackay. Several thousand customers turned up on the first day.

COUNTING DOWN: Ron Reseck (centre) and staff members (from left) Dean Bennett, Brent Gilmore, Angela Grieve and Trevor Rogers outside Mackay's first McDonald's Restaurant ahead of its opening in 1990. Picture: Daily Mercury Archives

Mr Reseck said he doesn't have any set plans for retirement yet.

"It's about time I passed the baton on to the kids. I'll just enjoy a bit of flexibility and have a lot less commitments," he said.

A trip south spurred Mr Reseck's decision to open a restaurant in Mackay.

"When I went to McDonald's on the Gold Coast I liked what I saw in the operation," he said.

"I decided to throw my hat in the centre and see if I could get a McDonald's.

"I just wanted to be a part of the McDonald's franchise and it's been a great privilege to be a licensee."

The business hosted it's McHappy Day on Saturday and Mr Reseck said becoming a franchisee had let the business to support Mackay organisations.

"It's enabled me to give thousands of people their first jobs and give them some of the best training they can ever get under the McDonald's system," Mr Reseck said.

"I'd like to thank the people of Mackay for supporting us all these years."

Shakira Sellen

Originally published as Burger boss is calling it a day