Jason Sadowski has found out that leaving a fast-food "empire" is even more time-consuming than the long road to joining, then running it.
The latest owner of the area McDonald's chain of nine restaurants that employs around 400 people is transferring it all to Michael Retzer Jr. of Little Rock. But it was a long road to assume management of the family business. And to do it successfully, he had to start from the ground up.
"I started literally in the dirt, mopping floors, cleaning bathrooms, clearing out fryers and grease traps and so forth," Sadowski said. "You can't learn this business any other way than to learn the basic nuts-and-bolt tasks needed doing in the day-to-day operations of a restaurant."
His parents, Tom and Nancy, opened their first McDonald's in 1973 on New Boston Road. It is still there, though it was refurbished in 2003.
"When I was in grad school, my parents were starting to think about retirement and asked me if I wanted to take over the business," he said. "I decided I wanted to try it out and began that process in 2002. I learned every position over time, each task, then management on the individual restaurant level. In 2011, I bought them all, all nine locations across Texarkana, Atlanta, Ashdown and Leary."
When it comes to successfully managing a restaurant chain, Sadowski said what he learned about the ins and outs of operating a single restaurant gave him the essential base knowledge of running a chain.
"To manage at that level, you need to know what you want the big picture to look like, the end state you want to reach," he said. "And to get there, you need to know about all those little things and how you need them done. Those little decisions are made every day and as each of them is made, compounded over time, go to form that big picture. The only way to get to the big picture you want is know about those little details and the right ones to make every day to make that picture reality."
Back in the 1990s, Tom and Nancy also wanted to become involved in the Ronald McDonald Charity House project. The physical house side was too much of a commitment at the time, so they formed a board and became part of a larger joint Shreveport-Texarkana area Ronald McDonald Charities Chapter, gathering money and issuing grants every year to local charities involved in children's care and activities.
"We were one of the last chapter areas without an actual house," Sadowski said. "This year, we officially merged with the Little Rock chapter. When we researched the matter, we found out most families from this area who used Ronald McDonald Charities housing went to the Little Rock area. So now, our collection area is merged with theirs and they will be administrating it from now on."
So with both restaurants and charity efforts heading to new management, the question becomeswhat next? Sadowski is undecided.
"My wife (Amy) and I are going to take our three kids and enjoy some time off as a family," he said. "After we have just relaxed for awhile, we will explore options next year. Having the freedom to choose what is next is very fortunate."
As for the business he is leaving behind and those who may be thinking about joining, he mentions that McDonalds is transforming its brand, adjusting to new tastes and times, but still retaining those classic flavors that have kept them coming all these years.
"It's an exciting time to be a part of McDonalds," he said. "If you are passionate about people and friendly service, you can find a place there."
As a bit of parting inside information, he recommends the Egg McMuffin variant featuring egg white with a sausage patty.
"Delicious," he said.