It's McHappenins: Manhattan McDonald's Debuts To the Public

MANHATTAN, IL — With cookies, cake, and a (very purple) celebrity, the Village of Manhattan on Wednesday welcomed its newest addition: a McDonald's.

Owners Darren and Cass Freihage celebrated the opening of their family-owned McDonald's at 440 W. North St., with Mayor Mike Adrieansen, trustees and other staff rubbing elbows—wait, does Grimace HAVE elbows?—with the beloved purple character.

"On behalf of the residents, the Village Board, and staff, we want to officially welcome McDonald's to the Village of Manhattan," Mayor Mike Adrieansen shared on social media.

Trustee Justin Young applauded the owners on their decision to come to Manhattan.

".... Darren (the franchise owner) spoke how he is a third generation franchise owner and how he couldn’t be there today without the support of his loyal employees, residents in the towns they serve, and his family," Young wrote.

"Darren talked about his longtime interest in our great town and that when the opportunity presented itself—he jumped on it."

The addition of a McDonald's to the small town initially caused some concern among residents. Traffic woes and a corporate franchise could chip away at the town's charm, some worried.

"While people think of McDonalds as a billion dollar corporation, this McDonalds is owned by a small business owner," Trustee Young wrote. "Darren went above and beyond our village codes to make sure he put a nice building and property into our town.

"He spent thousands of dollars putting in an underground detention system so he could save the sledding hill. He spent thousands of extra dollars on the landscaping (it’s second to none). He used all modern building materials on the building and made sure it was state of the art. He gave the Village $30,000 to help fund our lighting project along route 52. Darren and his family have 'put your money where your mouth is.' They lived up to all of their promises and more. I wish them luck and I hope the town enjoys and supports them."

Young encouraged customers to have patience in the business' early days.

"While I know McDonald’s isn’t for everyone, there is still a large population in this town that was starving (pun intended) for a quick serve restaurant with a drive-thru," Young wrote. "Businesses like this serve as an incubator for many young kids to work their first job and learn to work with people.

"That being said, keep in mind for the short-term that these kids are trying their best and trying to serve our residents to the best of their ability. Have patience and don’t discourage the young workers if the waits are long or orders aren’t exactly right."

McDonald's is open Sunday through Thursday, 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., and 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Lobby closes nightly at 10 p.m.