Friday, December 6, 2024
Owner-operator family the Hendels honored four employees who have worked at McDonald’s in Oceanside for nearly 30 years on Oct. 16.
One in eight Americans have worked at McDonald’s. Long-time employees Maria Diaz, Michelle Van Kuyk, Arelis Genao and Maria Astorga were recognized for their status and contributions. The Hendel family, father, brother and sister, own and operate this location.
“You guys have trained me, my brother, the whole team,” Lauren Hendel said. “You’ve really been there for us since the beginning. I’m so proud to work with you. Love you guys. I’m excited to celebrate you today.”
Astorga, who has been at this McDonald’s for 30 years, said her entrance into the McDonald’s Family was sudden.
“I came in one day just to eat,” Astorga said. “I asked if they were hiring and they told me yes. I was hired the next day.”
Genao, who has worked there for nearly 30 years, feels comfortable and supported by her fellow crew members and bosses.
“I stay motivated by the crew, the way I’ve been treated here and the customers,” Genao said.
Mark Hendel, Lauren’s brother, deeply appreciates their contributions to Oceanside McDonald’s.
“They truly believe in setting a culture in the restaurant as well,” Mark said. “All of the employees come in much happier seeing them, because of their dedication to the McDonald’s brand.”
The Hendels say Van Kuyk is one of the only women at the store who enjoys inventory and trucking. She’s been there for 19 years.
“My favorite part is helping with the truck, making sure the store is organized,” Van Kuyk said.
The Hendels take it one step further. They offer their employees various benefits.
“Our crew people can earn up to $2,500 per semester and managers can earn up to $3,000 per semester (for school),” Mark said. “We also, as an organization, offer 401k programs to each and every employee. For the most part, all of them signed up for it. So the employees we’re recognizing today are all on board with that, and we’re trying to set them up for their retirement plans so they can have a better future for themselves and their families.”
Diaz, who has been with them for 17 years, sees the benefits to her community.
“Over time the community has gotten better,” Diaz said.
Lauren said they get very involved with their employees and community.
“I think, for us, family means much more than just working with my dad and my brother,” Lauren said. “When you come here and work at McDonald’s it really is, as we call it, the McFamily. You really get to know people individually, their backgrounds, things about their families. And we all work together toward a common goal. That’s really what the power of the brand is, being there for one another and being there for our communities too.”
The Hendel family own and operate 31 restaurants throughout New York, including in Time Square and Union Square. They believe in contributing to their communities.
“Ray Crocks said that when you open a McDonald’s up in a community, it’s really important to give back,” said Paul Hendel, father to Lauren and Mark. “So we make it our business to stay in touch with all our local chamber of commerce, and make sure we support little leagues and all that. A lot of our customers come in and they’ll have requests and that’s how it’s all started.”
