Over four decades after she started working at a McDonald’s restaurant in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, Ms. Dot Sharp is retiring at age 84, closing up the drive-thru window for good after first starting her job on September 7, 1978. Heartwarmingly, of all her common customers to show up for her last day, the last she served was her granddaughter, a co-employee at the franchise location.
Ms. Sharp, punctual and hardworking as ever, only hung up her golden arches and closed the drive-thru window for the last time after all of her regular customers, many of whom had stopped by to wish her well one more time, had been served.
Speaking to local news outlet WTAE about her emotions upon retiring, she said, “I’m really sad about that because it’s not so much the food, it’s the people. The people that I work with, they were great, they treated me great all these years, and we have the best customers in the world here.”
Commenting on what it was like at McDonald’s over the years and the memorable moments of a job she’s held since her late 30s, Ms. Sharp commented on the wild days of the Happy Meal’s unveiling. Speaking on that, she told WTAE, “We started the Happy Meal down (at the first location). Whenever they came out with the Barbie and the Hot Wheel ones, people would come in and order 50 Happy Meals at one time.”
Dotie Sims, Ms. Sharp’s granddaughter and fellow employee at the Gibsonia McDonald’s, told WTIA, “I actually just found my Daisy diary from when I was (about) 5 years old. It said, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ in it, I wrote, ‘my grandmother,’ and I’m halfway there.”
Continuing, Sims, who has followed in her grandma’s footsteps and been employed at McDonald’s for roughly 20 years, said, “She was there with me for my first order. I used to go to work with her when I was little, and she would (let me) hand out customers change for them.”
Also complimentary of Ms. Sharp was the owner and operator of the Gibsonia McDonald’s, Meghan Sweeney. She said, “Dot has been an amazing contributor to McDonald’s of Gibsonia. Our customers love her and so have generations of her fellow co-workers. We’re so lucky to have had her on our team!”
Continuing, Sweeney highlighted the great attitude and qualities that Ms. Sharp brought to the job. She said, “We truly appreciate all that Dot did for our organization. She brought a sunny disposition to every shift and always made the customer her top priority. I’m hoping Dot enjoys a well-deserved break in her retirement.”
McDonald’s corporate, in a statement to Business Insider, agreed with its characterization of her roles at the restaurant and noted her cheery demeanor. It told Business Insider, “That’s the actual function of her position – but it doesn’t capture the essence of who Dot is. Dot welcomes each customer with a sunny smile and cheerful greeting. She knows many customers by name and order.”
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