She’s been greeting hungry customers for more than four decades, adding some extra gold to those familiar arches.
It’s not that often you come across someone who can truly brighten up your day.
“She’s more like the sunshine of this place,” says loyal customer, Andrea Feller. “You come in, she’s always smiling, always doing her best.”
Or someone who will cross a room just to give you a hug.
Another loyal customer, Bob Shoulders, says, “She is a sweet, sweet lady. Makes everybody feel welcome when they’re coming in.”
For 44 years, Miss Loraine has been that person working under those golden arches.
“I didn’t come to stay. I didn’t come to stay,” says Miss Loraine. “I just needed something to do after my husband had to retire.”
A McDonald’s employee since 1973, her job has been serving friendship.
McDonalds Owner and Operator, Katie Kenworthy, says, “When people come in, they always want to meet her and want to know her story and so just, they may never come back to our restaurant again, but she’s somehow affected their lives for that few minutes.”
At 94 years old, Miss Loraine has worked at a number of McDonald’s locations in Evansville over the years.
Today, she’s at North Green River Road because it’s close to home and church.
But it doesn’t matter where she’s located. Her friends will cross town just to see her smile.
Shoulders says, “She’s been to different McDonalds, so, I’ve seen her at all of them just about. So I’ve been seeing her for about 20 years.”
“She has a memory that’s amazing,” Kenworthy says. “She can tell stories about McDonald’s from 44 years ago or 5 minutes ago. She remembers things and she remembers faces and it makes people feel special when they come to our restaurant.”
“Loraine knows her customers so well that sometimes she even has their order prepared for them before they even walk through the door.”
Miss Loraine says, “I told them, I said, well if you called in I would have delivered it. They said, how would you get out? I said I’d jump the counter and bring it over to you. I did one time.”
And today, marking 44 years of someone’s quiet strength that has lifted up so many.
Some of her loyal customers say:
“She’s an inspiration.”
“She’s more than just to wait on us. She’s our friend.”
“That’s why I work,” says Miss Loraine. “Because I love them all.”
Source: wjhl.com
