Baker’s dozen years of making you smile

Tomorrow marks the 13th year of McDonald’s Saipan and the fast food company’s local franchise owner is happy to announce that they’re looking forward to another baker’s dozen years of bringing satisfied smiles to its multitude of customers.

Joe Ayuyu brought the restaurant defined by its elegant golden arches, Big Macs, and trademark French Fries to the Northern Marianas in March 18, 1993 and through the years the fast food giant’s two local branches has served the island community through thick and thin, through the good times and the bad.

“We opened 13 years ago and since then we’ve come a long way. The company is doing OK. We’re doing well. Of course, we’re experiencing a bit of a decline in our sales just like everyone else. But right now, we’re not as impacted by what’s happening around us. Not as much as other companies. So, in a way we’re kind of fortunate on that area,” said Ayuyu, a former executive Bank of Guam and Hukobotan who also once served as head of the Department of Commerce and Labor.

He cited that efficient management of the business has always been McDonald’s Saipan’s strength and he attributed the restaurant’s ability to cope with change and evolve as well as his staff’s loyalty and dedication as keys to the company’s success the past 13 years.

Ayuyu revealed that one thing that attracted him to acquiring a franchise of McDonald’s 13 years ago is the fast food chain’s predisposition to embracing new things and adapt to what consumers want.

“The future always favors a company like that—a company that doesn’t remain static. The fast food business has always been a consumer driven one. McDonald’s knows the makeup of consumers in the future and that assures us that we are always one step ahead of everyone and tuned in to what’s going to happen,” he said.

It is through this 20/20 vision that McDonald’s foresaw the need to shift to more healthy offerings like its Premium Chicken Sandwiches, lineup of fresh salads, and to use vegetable-based oil to cook its French Fries.

“Over the years we have introduced a lot of new products into our restaurants. A lot of it gears more toward providing a more balanced diet to our customers. Recently you’ve seen the introduction of salads. As a matter of fact, next month we will introduce another salad, called the Asian salad,” he said.

And it doesn’t end there. Ayuyu promises that McDonald’s Saipan will continue to be front and center in the fight against obesity and backs that up by being one of only a handful of restaurant establishment on island that provides a calorie count chart in the food they serve.

McDonald’s Saipan is not only espousing a more wholesome and nourishing lifestyle through its offerings in the restaurant but also through its sponsorship of the Saipan Little League Baseball Association.

“We’re very excited about once again sponsoring the Little League and Northern Marianas Athletics,” he said. “We’ve been a major sponsor of the Little League program for four years running now and the nice thing about that is that it involves more than 20 teams with more than 700 kids. The same is also true about NMA. I’ve always been excited about being involved in programs that helps a lot of young kids.”

The fast food chain has also been backing a team in the UFO Inter-Organization Basketball League the past couple of seasons, and is one of 10 teams participating in the Mobil Oil Marianas Co-ed Invitational Basketball League.

Also not lost on Ayuyu are the contributions made by his employees, some of who have been in the fast food restaurant for more than 10 years.

“Of course, I could not emphasize enough that our success is also due to our dedicated employees. In a way I’m just the driver, I’m just behind the scene and provide guidance to the business. The real hard work is done by our employees and I have to congratulate them for doing a real great job,” he said.

The owner of McDonald’s Saipan together with his wife, Marcia, who serves as store manager of the restaurant, also extended their appreciation to the island people who regularly dine and takeout food at McDonald’s.

“I just want to make this clear, if not for our customers we won’t be here. That’s why we would like to extend a big and heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all of them for patronizing McDonald’s Saipan the past 13 years and hope they continue to stand by us in the next 13,” he said.