A McLegacy Ends in Princeton, MN

Chloe Smith, editor of the Union-Times in Princeton, discovered an amazing story about a Princeton man who has been working at the McDonald's location there since it opened back in 1995, and is now retiring after 30 years of working at the location.

His name is Mikey Kulesa. What's more amazing about this story is that he is the last original employee who was left at the location. With Mikey retiring, it feels a bit somber to think of the Princeton McDonald's continuing without him, but what a testament to his dedication to his job and the people he served.

CHANGES

As I read this story about Mikey, it reminds me of how the working environment has changed through the years.

How many cooks were in the kitchen back in 1995 compared to today? What kind of guidelines changed in the kitchen? Especially since covid? Have they always maintained the same standards, or have they evolved?

By the time McDonald's came to Princeton, I had already moved on. I had gone to Bemidji to college, started working in public television, and then made a complete left turn, throwing everything up in the air and moving to Kentucky by 1992.

I would visit Princeton once or twice a year, and loved driving through my hometown year after year when I was back, to see the changes that were happening in the town.

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DO YOU REMEMBER?

I'm trying to remember what exactly was on the menu at McDonald's in 1995, and what McDonald's restaurants looked like back then. I know we have always had the big golden arches, the amazing fries, and two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun; But there have been some items that have come and gone, and I bet Mikey remembers more than the rest of us. Cheese danishes, for example. A cheese Danish and a glass of orange juice were my favorites for many years, but that might have been before he worked there.

So, what was the reason that Mikey decided to stay with McDonald's for 30 years? According to Chloe's article, he loved cooking, and McDonald's certainly provides that opportunity. I wonder if McDonald's was just as busy back then as it is today?

WORK ETHICS THEN AND NOW

I also wonder if Mikey has seen a shift in work ethic from his early days as a McDonald's employee? Have people always come and gone? Do they work as hard today as they did back then? What kind of people did Mikey meet that changed his life? What kept him coming into work day after day, year after year?

The Princeton McDonald's recognized this man's dedication to customer service by throwing a party for him and honoring him with a plaque for his 30 years of service. The best part? They aren't ever saying goodbye. They have offered him free coffee for life, a guarantee that they can see his kind face again and again.