MADAWASKA, Maine — For many residents of Madawaska, an Aroostook County town of just under 4,000, McDonald’s was a reliable place where people could pick up a quick meal. Aside from a Tim Hortons, it was also the only fast-food restaurant in town with a drive-thru.
Madawaska was home to a McDonald’s for nearly 50 years before the restaurant was demolished in 2022 to make way for a new land port and a bridge connecting the town to Canada. Now the bridge is built, many residents want the golden arches to return.
“Many residents have asked us if we can open another fast food restaurant in town,” said Jason Boucher, chairman of the Madawaska Town Council. “Most are asking about McDonald’s, but a few other options are mentioned as well.”
Boucher said the only way McDonald’s can get back on its feet at this point is if a new owner contacts the city and works with the company to build another restaurant, but so far there are no signs of that happening.
About a year before the demolition, when it was clear that McDonald’s would close, several people in Madawaska came together and asked the company to open a new location in town. Brian Thibeault, who was on the town council at the time, and a team created a video in which numerous residents and officials explained why the restaurant was important to the community.
Former city manager Gary Picard said at the time that the city’s businesses depend on each other and the closure of McDonald’s would impact other businesses as well.
Now that the new bridge and port of entry projects are complete, a resident asked at a recent city council meeting if there was a possibility of the city getting another McDonald’s.
Boucher explained that they had been unable to find a new owner and that attempts to work directly with McDonald’s corporate headquarters during the COVID-19 pandemic had been unsuccessful.
“A lot of people don’t realize that companies have to want to get involved,” Boucher said.
He said that when the closure of McDonald’s was imminent, the city council had worked hard to explore the possibility of building a new branch.
“We had a place for them,” Boucher said. “We had land for them. Everything was ready. We also had a grocery store ready to come at the same time that McDonald’s was ready to come to town.”
But the pandemic led to economic problems that ultimately prevented McDonald’s corporate headquarters from opening another branch in the city.
“The McDonald’s numbers at some of the local locations started to drop significantly,” Boucher said. “They found it no longer profitable to come to Madawaska. They were the ones who pulled the plug. And that was after months and months of hard work to get them to decline.”
At the time, Boucher said they planned to locate the new McDonald’s in the city’s Midtown Plaza on Main Street. The city has since worked with Fish River Rural Health to bring their future facility to the plaza. Fish River Rural Health held a grand opening event for this new facility in early June of this year, which is scheduled for completion in late 2025.
Boucher said in an email that the previous owner decided not to reopen after the McDonald’s in Madawaska closed in October 2021.
Boucher said the only way to revive the Madawaska branch is for someone to be interested in opening a branch themselves, which would require a significant investment of time, money and effort.
Anyone who wants to start a franchise must complete a training program that can last up to a year, according to McDonald’s online franchising resources, and includes both practical and theoretical experience related to running a business.
The initial investment for a McDonald’s franchise alone is typically between $1.3 million and $2.3 million. This includes costs for equipment, seating, signage, decoration and construction, according to Boucher.
The franchise fee alone is $45,000. In addition, McDonald’s requires potential franchisees to have at least $500,000 in liquid assets to even be considered.
Even if an investor or potential owner met these requirements, they would still have to open the restaurant on a company-approved site. And since McDonald’s often owns or leases the land and building, the franchisee would have to enter into a lease agreement with McDonald’s.
“Upon successful completion of the training program, McDonald’s will, at its sole discretion, inform a candidate of available McDonald’s franchise opportunities for purchase,” the company stated on its website.
They would also have to sign a franchise agreement with McDonald’s, which usually has a term of 20 years.
“Opening a McDonald’s is a big commitment,” Boucher said. “But it can be a worthwhile investment for those who meet the requirements and are willing to put in the effort.”
