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Meet Leeds's own McDonald's boss
If you've eaten at McDonald's in Leeds this week chances are it was at one of Pritpal Singh's restaurants.
The 48-year-old runs 23 of the fast food eateries in a joint venture with the American giant. He employs 1,300 staff across his west Yorkshire empire which has a turnover of 32 million.
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And despite the recession he plans to open his 24th, in Huddersfield, early next year creating an estimated 40 more jobs.
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His high powered position is a far cry from his original job with the iconic brand more than 25 years ago.
He told the YEP: "I started with the company in 1983 as a trainee manager.
"I'd actually studied chemical engineering and fuel technology at Sheffield University, but the job situation was not good at all when I came out.
"McDonald's had been in the country since 1974. They had 80 to 90 restaurants at the time.
"I applied, had a first interview, then they wanted me to come and work at the restaurant for two days – a day shift and a night shift.
"I'd stayed for an extra hour at the restaurant on the night shift because it got so busy."
On his way home in his Triumph Stag sportscar, the father-of-two was pulled over by the police.
The Midlander, who is originally from Walsall, said: "It was just a routine check. The officers asked me what was in the bag in the back seat. I'd told them my McDonald's uniform and they sent me on my way."
Mr Singh had applied to a number of blue chip companies, including IBM, but it was McDonald's who offered him his first job as a trainee manager in Nottingham on 5,500.
"They were the only company who got back to me straight away," he said.
Just over ten years later Mr Singh took on his first franchise, the McDonald's in Halifax, signing the standard 20-year contract.
Keighley's franchise followed in 2000 with brand new drive-throughs in both areas by 2006.
It was then that Mr Singh was approached by McDonald's to set up a joint venture.
A limited company was formed with Mr Singh as managing director and his wife Christiane as director.
His existing four outlets were sold to the new company and McDonald's also sold another 14 of their own.
Now 23-strong Mr Singh's portfolio includes four in Leeds, with two in Briggate and one each in Leeds Station and the St John's Centre employing a total of 600.
He pays himself a "modest" five-figure salary and hasn't taken his dividend for the last three years, preferring to invest 1m back into the business rolling out the new trendy "re-imaging" of the restaurants and 3.5m in new equipment.
Mr Singh, who lives near Hebden Bridge, is a devotee of the Big Mac and McDonald's breakfast.
But he believes the company’s willingness to widen its menu, offer a cheaper “tiered’ option and healthier alternatives has helped it weather the volatile economic climate.
The MD added: “In terms of the recession, people are a bit more careful in the way they spend their money.
“From a health point of view even with our Happy Meals we’ve reduced the amount of salt in our nuggets, in our fried and in our ketchup. They’re much healthier.”
charles.heslett@ypn.co.uk
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Friday 25 May 2012
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