McDonald’s franchisees win prestigious honour
Edmonton and Sherwood Park McDonald’s franchise owners were awarded the company ’s highest honour for their philanthropic work and unwavering commitment to Edmonton’s Ronald McDonald House.
Hanif and Kristen Adatia, owners for nine years, received the Fred L. Turner Golden Arch Award in April — a biannual honour presented to only 37 franchisees worldwide this year.
“It’s a tremendous honour,” Hanif Adatia said of the prestigious recognition. “It’s a lifetime achievement type of honour ... and we received it in nine years. That’s where it’s very, very humbling for us.”
“It’s just a big wow,” Kristen Adatia said.
The couple owns 10 McDonald’s restaurants, starting with five in Sherwood Park in 2009 before expanding to the east end of Edmonton in 2015, where they now own five more.
A main reason for doubling their ownership, Hanif Adatia explained, was to help their employees grow and take on other positions within the business.
“One of the biggest things that made our decision was that a lot of people that we hired from the beginning are still with us and it was a tremendous opportunity for them to grow,” he said.
The Golden Arch Award is touted as the company’s highest honour, presented to less than one per cent of the company’s franchise owners of about 37,000 locations. It recognizes dedication to guests, employees and communities.
“Hanif and Kristen are exemplary franchisees who consistently lead by example,” McDonald’s Western Canada vice-president Shelly Hunt said in an email. “They care deeply for the people they employ and the communities in which they operate.”
The Adatias work with several organizations, including the Strathcona Food Bank, Strathcona RCMP and Strathcona firefighters. In December, during the county’s Christmas drive, they ensured all Food Bank and Christmas Bureau volunteers were fuelled throughout the day, giving them $10 McDonald’s gift cards.
The duo also created a work experience program with local high schools, providing jobs for students who would also receive course credit.
“Running a business is not just about making money,” Hanif Adatia said. “It’s also about giving something back, and this is a tremendous opportunity to give something back to the people that you interact with on a daily basis.”
Above all, the couple said their mission was to raise as much money as possible for the Ronald McDonald House in Edmonton.
McHappy Day, at the beginning of May, is the major fundraiser each year for the initiative. This year, their restaurants raised $25,000 for the house through Big Mac sales, as well as other fundraising ideas.
Just for their staff, Kristen Adatia said they held a raffle to win Shania Twain concert tickets. In turn, many employees ran bake sales and other fundraisers to increase funds for the important cause.
“It comes back down to our guests,” Hanif Adatia said of the charity’s importance to their franchises. “We’ve gotten the opportunity to meet people who use (Ronald McDonald House) and it’s very touching and it’s very rewarding to see that a charity like that can have that kind of an impact.”