What started out as just a job for a group of teenagers at the “Golden Arches” turned into a lifelong bond for a group of adults – 45 years later.
The McDonald’s franchise on Soledad Canyon Road was purchased by Anton, Jay and Mark Schutz in 1979 and the group was the first crew they hired when they opened the restaurant.
“We really do value our people above everything else … we’re always celebrating our people. We think obviously people are the foundation of a restaurant,” said Jay Schutz, co-owner of the fast-food restaurant.
One member of that crew, Vicci Zimmerman, met her husband, James, at the McDonald’s.
She was in management, and he was part of the crew. Giggling at her husband, she said she gave him the ultimatum: either you quit, or I fire you.
And now they have been married for 34 years in August and have three daughters.
“Yeah, it’s not friendship. It’s family. There’s a difference,” Vicci said.
James chimed in, saying they took care of each other at work.
Vicci added that when they were working at McDonald’s, she would cover for her “little chicks” as she called them when they needed to get out of their house and be kids.
“I took care of them all … I’d (say) like, ‘OK, it’s 10 o’clock, go out, get an hour and a half, I’ll cover for you,’ they come back, and they had their freedom,” Vicci said, looking at her “family.”
Scott Kennedy or “Scotty” to his friends, travels to see his “family” every 12 weeks from Brisbane, Australia.
“These people felt like family. You need to understand when I moved here, I was a kid. I lived here for quite a few years before I returned back to Australia, and I didn’t know anybody. I didn’t have any friends in the neighborhood and certainly 45 or 50 years ago, this was a country town,” Kennedy said.
He added that he always knew he could drop in and there would be a bed or smile waiting for him.
Gathering around the tables, the feeling of love was apparent and abundant, with people hugging, smiling and catching up like they do every six months.
After the reveal of getting letterman jackets from Schutz and his wife, Shelly, the first crew were on their way to an L.A. Kings hockey game to continue the festivities and celebrate the bond they have built.
