McDonald’s Employee Celebrated After 42 Years of Service At Sumter Restaurant

She has been working at the Broad Street McDonald’s since 1981

Photo byLucas Andrade/Unsplash

It was a pure joy and delight to celebrate a resident that has done well in bringing smiles and nice memories to others. Friends, and family were present to celebrate Judy Lesser who’s been working at the restaurant since 1981.

“Like a mailman, whether snow or sleet, I come to McDonald’s,” 81 years old Judy Lessar reflected. “I have been a widow now for 18 years, so this has been my family. 

Lesser, who started out planning birthday parties for the restaurant, now greets customers at the register every morning. She has made lifelong friends from coworkers to customers who spoke highly of Lesser during the celebration at the Sumter restaurant. 

“Ms. Judy’s been here forever!” Longtime customer Kenneth Floyd shared. “She’s so friendly and easy to get along with. She’s just a beautiful person.”

She even has regular customers that come in to see her probably about every week. One of them is Billie Berkley who drops by every two or three times a week. 

“She has a beautiful smile,” customer Rosalie Price added. “When we walk in the door, we just wave at her and she just smiles.”

The restaurant has been collecting letters of appreciation for weeks, which they gave to Lesser along with balloons and cake. The letters, cake, and the presence of her friends and family who came to celebrate with her engendered her to smile even more.

“I don’t do a lot of things like I used to, but they say that’s okay, we want you to be here. So that makes me happy," Lesser smiled. “Many people say, ‘Well, why do you still work?’ I say, 'It isn't just for the money, but I see God at work here.’ Every day I see good acts, so that makes me happy too.”

At 81, she’s not planning to quit anytime soon. She remembers seeing a story years ago about a woman who worked until she was 90. 

“And I told my husband at that time, I said, ‘that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna wait, and work in McDonald’s till I'm 90.”

Anyone who wants to add a note can stop by and drop it off. A mailbox for letters of appreciation will stay up in the Sumter McDonald’s on Broad Street throughout the month. 

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