We’re Proud to Have This Mother-Daughter Duo in Our McFamily

We’re Proud to Have This Mother-Daughter Duo in Our McFamily

Marietta Rodriguez is many things to many people. She’s a pillar in her greater Atlanta community. She's a successful McDonald’s franchisee with her husband, Orestes. She’s a mother of one, Desiree, and often serves as a stand-in parent for several of her employees.

When Marietta’s parents came to the United States from Cuba years ago, they didn’t come with very much. She knows what it’s like to go hungry – that's why all of the employees at her McDonald’s restaurant can eat for free while they’re working, no questions asked.

Now, Marietta likes to say she has 80 adopted kids, because she’s always looking out for the wellbeing of her managers and crew. She wants her employees to know that she cares about each and every one of them, as though they are her own family.

Marietta celebrated her 40^th anniversary with McDonald’s this past January. Her daughter, Desiree, recently joined the family business, as well.

Desiree, the daughter of Cuban immigrant parents who have achieved the American Dream, is excited to work alongside her parents and make use of what they have taught her about the importance of giving back and hard work. Growing up, Desiree saw how much people in her community looked up to her mom, and how hard her mom worked to give back to her employees. When she began working at her family’s restaurant in 2008, Desiree found a new way to bring employees together as a community. Around Christmas, she closed the restaurant lobby and invited employees to a potluck, where they could try food from each other’s cultures and enjoy each other’s company outside of work.

Now, potlucks are beloved holiday traditions for Marietta, Desiree, and their managers and crew.

Marietta and Desiree Rodriguez are a mother-daughter duo we’re proud to have in our McFamily. To hear their story in their own words, watch this video produced by the Immigration Archive Project, in partnership with McDonald’s.