McDonald’s restaurants across the region will be recognizing Veterans Day in a special way, by offering current and former military members a free meal (Courtesy photo)
McDonald’s restaurants throughout Grand Rapids are honored to serve veterans, active-duty military members and their families each and every day. This year, McDonald’s restaurants across the region will be recognizing Veterans Day in a special way, by offering current and former military members a free meal.
Participating McDonald’s restaurants will offer a meal to all veterans with a valid military ID on Monday, Nov. 11. For breakfast, veterans can enjoy an Egg McMuffin or Bacon Egg Cheese Biscuit, along with a hash brown and any size soft drink, tea or coffee.
Meals are only available via dine-in or drive-thru, and are not available in the McDonald’s app. Breakfast meals are only available until 10:30 a.m.
(Courtesy, McDonald’s)
Supporting community
Local McDonald’s owner/operators are committed to feeding and fostering communities by providing meals in honor of veterans, teachers and first responders, and through support of youth sports leagues and neighborhood jobs.
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre opens its doors for the first time in a year. (Supplied)
Live Theater Anyone?
For the first time in a year, the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre has opened its doors. This weekend, April 9-11, and next, April 16-18, the company is hosting the finals for Ten for All Festival. Earlier this year, playwrights were invited to submit a 10-minute original play or musical. The six finalists, which have received a $100 cash prize for winning their category, will be performed for two weeks with the opportunity to earn the Audience Choice Award and winning an additional $100. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. For more information, visit www.grct.org.
https://vimeo.com/532988366
A Free Program
This spring, the Grand Rapids Ballet is offering its “Spring Break for Kids 2021: Peter and the Wolf” performance for free. The performance is available through April 11. Spring Break for Kids is tailored specifically for youngsters, and this year features the story of “Peter and the Wolf,” with music by Sergei Prokofiev. Hear (and see) the musicians of the Battle Creek Symphony led by music director Anne Harrigan and watch the music come alive in a brand-new staging, co-choreographed by Artistic Director James Sofranko and Ballet Master Dawnell Dryja. To get the Vinmo link to the performance, register your email at grballet.com.
Snag a Book
Recently a group of local writers released the anthology “Lost and Found,” featuring nine original stories including one by WKTV Managing Editor K.D. Norris. While it is listed as romance, author and contributor Diana Lloyd said the book has something for everyone. So get a head start on collecting up those summer reads by snagging a copy. The book is available on Amazon.
O Canada, O McFlurry
That is correct. That wonderful sweet treat that has become associated with the Golden Arches originated from a franchise in Bathhurst, New Brunswick in Canada. Not much is said as to why the location started offering the treat but by 1997, it was available at all McDonald locations and since then each country that has McDonald’s has created its own special McFlurry. In the United Kingdom, they enjoy the Cadbury Cream Egg McFlurry, while in Japan, it is all about the Matcha McFlurry which we understand can rival the green of the United State’s Shamrock shake.
"In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And, if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you."
~ Warren Buffet
From California to Kentwood — new company, new jobs move in
The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the City of Kentwood, announced that Arcanum Alloys will be relocating from Silicon Valley to the City of Kentwood. This will result in the creation of 25 new high-tech jobs and a capital investment of $693,000.
The company produces 20-ton coils for some of the world’s most well-known manufacturing companies. Arcanum Alloys chose West Michigan over other competing locations to be closer to its production partner, suppliers and manufacturing customers. This location will function as both a new headquarters and R&D center. The company will be locating at 4460 44th St. SE, Kentwood. Read more here.
Kent ISD names new director of Special Ed program
Paul Dymowski was enthusiastic when asked about being chosen as director of the center-based Special Education program that is transferring to Kent ISD from Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS). “It’s a really exciting opportunity to build off the work Grand Rapids has already done,” he said after he was named to the new job on Wednesday, Oct. 3.
Dymowski, who currently serves as transition coordinator, part of the Special Education Department at Kent ISD, was chosen from a field of 28 applicants, according to Superintendent Ron Caniff, who announced the appointment. Read more here.
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Local fast food restaurant goes all high-tech
The McDonald’s restaurant at 6095 Kalamazoo Ave. SE in Gaines Township is inviting guests to experience McDonald’s in a new way with a greater level of choice, engagement and service.
The restaurant, which is located near East Kentwood High School and the Kalamazoo Avenue exit off of M-6, recently underwent extensive renovations and upgrades both inside and outside. These renovations include new self-order kiosks, table service, updated ways to pay and a redesigned seating area. Read about it here.
Fun Fact:
After Subway (about 43,000) and McDonalds (37,000), Starbucks has the third most locations in America (29,000).
The new self-order kiosks are just one of the new additions at the renovated McDonald’s.
The McDonald’s restaurant at 6095 Kalamazoo Ave. SE in Gaines Township is inviting guests to experience McDonald’s in a new way with a greater level of choice, engagement and service. These changes are reflective of a new and innovative restaurant model that has been successfully rolled around the world and puts more choice and control in the hands of guests by evolving how they order, what they order, how they pay and how they are served.
The restaurant, which is located near East Kentwood High School and the Kalamazoo Avenue exit off of M-6, recently underwent extensive renovations and upgrades both inside and outside. These renovations include new self-order kiosks, table service, updated ways to pay and a redesigned seating area.
“We’re excited to share this evolved experience at McDonald’s with our customers,” said Carl Wiseman, McDonald’s owner/operator. “We appreciate and value our guests’ feedback on this new experience, and we’re looking forward to offering them a new way to dine at McDonald’s.”
A sneak peek inside the renovated McDonald’s on Kalamazoo Avenue.
For those looking to order at their own pace, the Gaines Township McDonald’s has new digital self-order kiosks which make ordering and paying for a meal easy. Kiosks empower guests to browse the menu, find new options and tailor their meal just the way they want. Guests’ orders are delivered to tables by McDonald’s crew members, allowing customers to relax and enjoy a more custom dining experience. The restaurant features mobile order and pay, which allows customers to order and pay through the McDonald’s app and then either pick up their order inside or have it brought out to their vehicle when they arrive. McDonald’s owner/operators and restaurant teams in Gaines Township and all around West Michigan are also placing a higher emphasis on hospitality by focusing on greeting customers, assisting with technology and ensuring a clean, welcoming environment.
This McDonald’s restaurant is among the latest in the area to offer this new level of choice, engagement and service. It is one of 400 McDonald’s restaurants in the state of Michigan that will be upgraded before the end of 2019, and is part of a total investment of around $205 million across the state.
Nearly 200 egg growers and suppliers, area farmers, and local Jaycees along with local and state elected officials who attended the Ionia Free Fair’s opening day breakfast celebrated Michigan’s egg growing industry, which has an extraordinary presence in Ionia County. The breakfast event featured Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Jamie Clover Adams as a keynote speaker, and also included McDonald’s inaugural “Fastest Egg Cracking” championship.
Sergio Brito, a McDonald’s crew member from Wyoming, cracked 13 eggs in 15 seconds and was crowned McDonald’s of Michigan’s Egg Cracking Champion. The contest was held to showcase how McDonald’s cracks fresh eggs for its Egg McMuffin breakfast sandwiches.
McDonald’s of Michigan’s Egg Cracking Champion Sergio Brito.
Michigan is the second-most diverse state in the country when it comes to agriculture. Food and agriculture has an economic impact of more than $101 billion in Michigan, employs more than 52,000 farmers, and ranks in the top ten in 19 different commodities. Michigan’s egg industry has an estimated $625 million impact on the state’s economy, Clover Adams said.
“I am thrilled to once again have the opportunity to thank McDonald’s for being one of Michigan’s best customers of our agriculture,” said Clover Adams. “In 2015, McDonald’s purchased about $164 million in Michigan agricultural products, including 69.9 million dozen eggs…that’s almost 1 billion eggs a year! Each year McDonald’s demonstrates its strong commitment to buying Michigan agricultural products; annually buying 16.2 million pounds of apples, 7.6 million gallons of milk, 7.8 million pounds of butter, 6.2 million pounds of beef, 1.7 million pounds of blueberries and 25.9 million pounds of corn.”
“It’s businesses like McDonald’s, and small business owners like Keith Berg, owner/operator of McDonald’s here in Ionia, that help Michigan to rank as one of the nation’s leaders in agribusiness and helps us continue to remain on a world class platform. By continuing to invest in Michigan agri-business, McDonald’s helps us to ensure that our farming industry will continue to grow and be embraced by future generations of farmers,” she added.
The event, co-hosted by the Ionia Jaycees and the Ionia Free Fair, also recognized one of the state’s leading egg suppliers, Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, located in Ionia.
“At McDonald’s we take great pride in our relationships with suppliers like Herbruck’s, who are not only committed to providing McDonald’s USA with high-quality ingredients, but are industry leaders in their dedication to innovation, environmental sustainability and the highest quality and safety standards,” said Marcos Quesada, McDonald’s vice president and general manager of the Michigan region. “We value our partnership with Herburck’s and the many farmers, suppliers and processors throughout Michigan.”
McDonald’s employs approximately 32,000 people statewide with 450 restaurants being owned and operated by more than 100 small independent business owners.
