AIKEN – Tom Powers is really “McLoving” his recent business award.
Powers, a McDonald’s franchise operator in Aiken and an Aiken resident, was recently recognized in a virtual ceremony for 50 years of service to the McDonald’s corporation.
“The representatives from McDonald’s had nice comments and a nice award. Even though it was virtual, it was very nicely presented,” said Powers, who has a “rags to riches” type of story with its roots in Virginia.
Powers, who has received rings and watches for past achievements, received a 12-inch by 12-inch plaque for his 50 years with McDonald’s.
Powers started as a cook at the age of 15 to help out his single mother. The entire family including his older brother pitched in to make ends meet.
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From there, he worked his way through management and has been an operator for 32 years.
“I already had a strong work ethic. I have had to work since I was very young,” he said.
Staff members are pleased that he’s been recognized for the milestone.
“For anybody to be with McDonald’s for 50 years is amazing, and no one deserves the award more,” said Sharon McGarry, shift manager at the McDonald’s store on Whiskey Road. “He started off as a crew member and ended up owning (multiple) stores. That is kind of astounding. You do not hear about that too often.”
Powers has worn another hat — or costume — during his time with McDonald’s. He used to dress up as Ronald McDonald.
“Tom has played Ronald McDonald in Barnwell before. He went to classes for it and was trained how to do the makeup and act like Ronald,” said Pam Powers, Tom’s wife and co-franchise owner.
Many people play Ronald McDonald.
“The people that do are as plentiful as Santa’s helpers,” Pam Powers said.
Although Tom Powers no longer plays Ronald, the Powers do have Grimace and Hamburglar at some events for their local stores in Aiken. They have these costumes and many memories of McDonaldLand from former stores.
While he may not dress up like the mascot any longer, Tom Powers still supports the name of Ronald McDonald through the charity, the Ronald McDonald House.
The couple tries to be good business neighbors by also supporting local teachers of the month, athletic departments, football teams, cancer walks, the local Lions Club Golf Tournament and other charitable ventures.
Pam Powers said she also helps parents and collectors find Happy Meal prizes they may have missed for their collections, and they also hire the disabled for positions in their stores. Both have been active in church communities for many years. They also do many things for their employees.
McGarry said, “Tom and Pam are wonderful bosses. They are very easy to work for. If you have any kind of problem, you go to them, and they fix it. They are very generous with their time.”
To build morale among their employees, Tom and Pam Powers have a Christmas party and a summer cookout that doesn’t include food employees make on a daily basis.
Tom Powers said he wants youth to have the same work ethic he had and encourages employees at McDonald’s to take advantage of the benefits available to them.
“We offer free college online. If you work at least 15 hours a week, you can attend. We also have scholarships for employees around $1,000 or $2,000 apiece. Those scholarships are available for all McDonald’s employees to apply for,” he said.
Pam Powers has been a McDonald’s franchise operator for almost 20 years.
They call the restaurants, in the McDonald’s lingo, stores. Together, the couple own the McDonald’s stores on Whiskey Road, Richland Avenue and York Street. They bought their first store in Barnwell and also built the Denmark, S.C. store.
Building a McDonald’s business is a team effort, Pam Powers said.
“It is a three-legged stool, operators, suppliers and the company. We work as a team. Everyone works together. Most of the new ideas come from operators,” she said. “Rearranging the kitchen or something like that… those ideas come from the crews. The crew figures out quicker ways of doing things. The store owners figure out things like décor in the lobby.”
Tom Powers’ career with McDonald’s has taken him to many locations. He started in Virginia. He was one of the more than a “few good McDonald’s men” at Guantanamo Bay Navy Base, Cuba.
“During his time from 1985-1989, he opened a McDonald’s restaurant (there). We bought our first store in Barnwell in 1989,” Pam Powers said.
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They sold the Barnwell and Denmark stores in 1995 and bought stores in the Albany, Ga. area. They sold those stores in 2001 and then bought five Aiken area stores.
Within the past 20 years, they sold two of their five Aiken area stores to their daughter, Angela.
Tom Powers said the pandemic actually helped their business because they improved their time at the drive-thru and actually had an increase in business, including bulk orders.
Pam Powers said it helped them improve things like having a digital menu for less contact.
However, they did shrink the menu during COVID-19.
“We no longer have parfaits or salads,” Tom Powers said. But they did add fresh bakery items to their stores.
He said some new developments for the McDonald’s stores in 2022 will include veggie burgers and Coca-Cola Icees at the stores.
Ron Baxley Jr. is a correspondent for The Augusta Press.
