McDonald's Opening Doors to Newly Renovated Restaurant in Watervliet

WATERVLIET, NY (12/02/2008)(readMedia)-- Doug and Pat Arnott and McDonald's are proud to be bringing a new look and enhanced customer service to the Watervliet restaurant at l6th Street and Broadway.

On Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 10:00 am, the Arnotts will celebrate the reopening of the Watervliet restaurant following months of renovations. Honored guests, including Congressman Mike McNulty, Senator Neil Breslin, County Executive Michael Breslin and Watervliet Mayor Mike Manning, as well as representatives of the Underground Railroad and other historical associations, are expected to participate in the celebration.

"We are excited about the changes to our store," said Doug Arnott. "We are a family and community- oriented business and are looking forward to enhancing the experiences of our customers through the additional services we'll be providing in Watervliet.

Doug and Pat Arnott have been owners of McDonald's restaurants in the Capital Region since 1988. (See attachment) At the flag raising ceremony on December 4th marking the reopening of the restaurant, Doug Arnott said, "We have great expectations for this venture. Service is the hallmark of the Arnott organization, and we plan to enhance that hallmark with high quality food and new coffee offerings that our customers want and McDonald's of Watervliet offers."

At the reopening, an historical marker, signifying the site of a slave rescue in 1860, will be unveiled by members of the Underground Railroad and author Scott Christianson, author of a forthcoming book about the rescue, "Freeing Charles." This important pre-Civil War event occurred when Charles Nalle, a fugitive slave from Virginia who was in hiding in Troy was rescued by a group of Troy and Watervliet citizens, led by Harriet Tubman. (See attachment)

The Arnotts are making donations to the following Capital Region organizations in honor of the grand reopening: The City of Watervliet Hudson Shore Imitative; Watervliet Arsenal Museum; Fisher House; Watervliet Historical Society; Watervliet Elementary School, and the Underground Railroad.

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McDonald's is the leading foodservice provider in the United States, serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. More than 80 percent of McDonald's 13,700 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local franchisees.

The McDonald's Operators of the Capital Region Co-op consists of 21 owner/operators who own 73 restaurants in the following counties: Albany, Bennington (VT), Berkshire (MA), Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Rutland (VT), Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Ulster, Warren and Washington.