It was a red carpet affair and dozens of people, including many politicians, were ‘loving it’ at the grand opening celebration of Langley’s newest McDonald’s at the Gateway campus at the northeast corner of 200 Street and 84 Avenue.
Langley’s Ron Knight is the owner of this modern McDonald’s. This location is one of three he owns in north Langley.
“It’s a very exciting day,” said Knight at the opening celebration on Wednesday.
This McDonald’s is all in the family, with his son Brad as the general manager.
At this location alone, there will be 81 full and part time employees, said Brad. There are 218 employees between the three Langley locations Knight owns.
“You would be surprised to hear that our managers have 10 years-plus with us and most of our employees stay four or more years,” said Ron Knight.
“We really work around employees schedules and I think that makes for some happy employees.”
At least 12 employees at the new location are able to walk to work, with others being a quick bus or car ride away.
The new McDonald’s has a triangular-shaped street front design with a couple of new concepts to B.C. being tried out inside. This location is the first McDonald’s in B.C. to offer a dual point front counter service system that separates the ordering and pick up points, with leaning posts all around while people wait.
It also is going green. Only LED lights are used, including in the parking lot. Energy efficient appliances are being used and they are recycling organic waste as well as regular recycling.
The dual drive thru is open 24-hours a day. There is new wall graphics, decor, flat screens, a communal table with a TV screen, free wifi, coffee bar that keep one of the oldest fast food chains up to modern standards. However, everyone’s favourite menu items are still there like the Big Mac, McChicken and Happy meals.
This is Ron Knight’s third McDonald’s in north Langley, owning the Walnut Grove and 96 Avenue locations.
McDonald’s is a known leader in training of employees and the new location is no exception.
In the funky, fun ‘crew room’ for employees is a computer that offers training tutorials but also access to the Internet.
Staff also get a microwave, fridge and TV and coaches and lockers.
Ron Knight, who started working at a Surrey McDonald’s as a young person, now lives in Langley and believes it is important to give back.
One of his chosen charities is Langley-based PuCKS — which helps kids try hockey who wouldn’t normally be able to afford it.
There was a large contingent of PuCKs players at the opening and several plaques and a book commemorating his efforts to PuCKS was given to Knight at the opening celebration.
And 25 cents of every $1 spent on cookies for the month of November is going to PuCKS and the Ronald McDonald House.
Also at the opening, were members of the girls Langley Lightning team who are sponsored by Ron Knight. The team is 7-0-2.
Ever-evolving, McDonald’s now has a coffee bar, offering specialty coffees from lattes to iced coffees.
Their fryer uses 60 per cent less oil than the other restaurants.
There are five McDonald’s in Langley and one in Aldergrove.
