McDonald’s and Mackay a recipe for business success

BIG Macs and fries have been on Mackay’s menu for 25 years – but our first McDonald’s restaurant was a long time coming.

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

BIG Macs and fries have been on Mackay's menu for 25 years - but our first McDonald's restaurant was a long time coming.

Starved for a taste of Macca's since the initial Australian outlet opened in Sydney in 1971, the region's residents had to stand by and watch as restaurants were built in Bundaberg, the south-east and then Cairns, Townsville and Rockhampton.

Finally, on April 2, 1990, Ron and Chree Reseck opened their 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.

Mr Reseck said a skewed perception of the region's population may have delayed McDonald's Mackay debut.

Prior to council amalgamation, part of the city lay in the Pioneer Shire, giving the impression there were fewer people living in Mackay.

"It's possible they thought we weren't big enough," he said.

Mr and Mrs Reseck applied for the McDonald's franchise about a year before the opening and Mr Reseck spent eight months training in southern stores.

The couple took on the challenge after having successfully run BP City Gates since 1981.

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"When the opportunity arose, I grabbed it with both hands and haven't looked back since," Mr Reseck said.

Mackay is a wonderful place to work and live," he said.

Construction began early in November 1989. At the time, Mr Reseck said the 430sq m building would be one of the larger restaurant designs, with seating for more than 170 people.

In the following years Mr and Mrs Reseck opened five restaurants in the Mackay region, proudly running them as a family owned and operated business.

"All three of our children began their first job as crew members within the restaurants and are still involved - Niki (Ramsay) and Stuart now own their own restaurants and Paula (Mckay) does the bookkeeping," Mr Reseck said.

"Even after all these years, we still enjoy working with a variety of people and meeting our guests.

"I want to extend a sincere thank you to our local community for their valued support over the years.

"We couldn't have gotten to where we are without our wonderful crew and customers."

During their time as Mackay licensees, they have been generous supporters of local sporting and community groups, including the Mackay Meteors.

Mr Reseck said it was important to give back to the community that had given them so much over the years.

TIMELINE

•  Mackay's first McDonald's Restaurant opens in 1990
•  It is the 42nd in Queensland and the fifth in north Queensland
•  A McDonalds Express in Mackay's City Heart opens in December 1996, in the old Australian Hotel. It's followed soon after by the East Mackay restaurant
•  McDonald's Northern Beaches opens in 2011
•  The first McDonalds outside Brisbane opened in Bundaberg
•  Townsville and Cairns had restaurants by 1988
•  Rockhampton followed in 1989

Originally published as McDonald’s and Mackay a recipe for business success