Revamped McDonald's to Hold Grand Opening Saturday

After 40 years in the same spot, the McDonald's at 238651 Bridger Rd. has received a face-lift.

On Saturday, the fast-foot restaurant will celebrate its renovation with a "grand reopening" ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m., although it has been .

Ronald McDonald will be on hand from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and coupons for a free small order of fries will be given out. A raffle will also see a 40-inch LCD HDTV given away at 1:30 p.m.

Both the entire and exterior of the store have been entirely remodeled. At Tuesday's Redevelopment Agency meeting, Mayor Peter Herzog presented McDonald's franchisee Isabelle Villasenor with a certificate of appreciation.

"[The remodel] really enhanced the location and her ability to serve her customers," Herzog said at the meeting. "It's a tremendous change, and it's right in step with what else is occurring on El Toro road, and it shows how the business community is working with the city to raise the level of the businesses and certainly the aesthetics."

Villasenor said she's been itching to overhaul the store, built in 1971, ever since she took ownership.

"To be able to remodel a restaurants that's been there for 40 years, but we just bought it two years ago—I was ready to make it beautiful within 24 hours," she said. "It took a little bit longer, two years, but we made it."