New Golden Arches in Owasso

On August 4, 2009, a new McDonald’s opens at the northern end of the Owasso area.

For many years, the golden arches of McDonald’s at 76th Street North have signaled to those coming down Highway 169 from Tulsa that they are entering the Owasso area. Now those coming from the Collinsville direction will see the same signal. On August 4, 2009, a new McDonald’s opens at the northern end of the Owasso area, at Highway 20 and Highway 169, right next door to Walgreens.

“It’s quite a blessing to be able to do this,” says Tim Rich, owner of the new McDonald’s, as well as the original Owasso site and the McDonald’s inside the Owasso Walmart.

Tim Rich has been a part of the McDonald’s family for 40 years, since he was 16 years old. He worked for McDonald’s for 20 years, through his college years and into his 30s, before becoming a McDonald’s franchisee and spending the next 20 years to the present time as an owner. To Tim, being a part of McDonald’s is all about offering choices in quality, whether it is in employment, value or food.

Tim reports that there are a lot of myths surrounding McDonald’s. One of those myths is that working there is a dead-end job. Tim points out that the average employee at McDonald’s makes around $9.50 an hour, and at his locations, food and uniforms are provided with no out-of-pocket expense for the employee. Insurance and other benefits are also available, and anyone who graduates high school while working for Tim and goes to college while still employed will have up to $1,400 dollars per semester of their tuition paid for. These facts are reflective of Tim’s desire to be one of Owasso’s top employers. “I currently have a payroll of over two million dollars,” says Tim, whose three stores combined employ around 230 people. “That’s a lot of money being infused into the local economy and community.”  

Community is very important to Tim, and that is why he employs Beverly and Harry Lossing, president and vice president of guest relations, at the 76th Street North location. Beverly has two master’s degrees in sociology and Harry is a retired assistant school superintendant, and the couple will often be found leading groups of children on tours through McDonald’s. “Harry and Beverly are great ambassadors to our community,” says Tim, who believes a community is only as successful as its schools. “Both love education and have helped us with relations with all the local school systems. We do everything we can to support our schools.”

Another myth surrounding McDonald’s is that their food is unhealthy. Tim would love to dispel that myth. “Eating right is about making right choices, and we offer plenty of great options – nine fruits, grilled chicken, salads – even our hamburgers are made with lean meat, and have been since the franchise started in 1955.”

He points out that the hamburgers are cooked onsite with nothing added but salt and pepper at cooking time, putting to rest another myth that McDonald’s receives its food already cooked and just warms it up. McDonald’s uses real eggs and butter, water that is charcoal filtered not one but five times, top-notch orange juice from Coca-Cola, and biscuits and pies from the local Bama company. All ingredients and nutritional information are available on tray liners and packaging, as well as on the website – www.mcdonalds.com. “You can make good or poor choices anywhere, even at home,” says Tim. “We want to make sure we offer plenty of good choices.”

And choices are what a Tim Rich-owned McDonald’s is all about – choices that help you get the best value for your money. The new location at Highways 169 and 20 will expand those choices even further. The new location has the clean contemporary look used in the newest McDonald’s buildings and will offer a small indoor playland and a double drive-through.  “It’s nice to be able to grow in a tough economy,” says Tim. “We are confident that if we provide good food and good service at the right price, people will ­respond to that.”

For more information, contact

McDonald’s – Owasso

(918) 272-3012

(918) 371-0632

(918) 376-9937
www.mcdonalds.com