After a major facelift, McDonald's will be one of the nicest restaurants in town, reports owner Debbie Shea Long.

The restaurant, located at 108 Gunnison River Drive, was opened by her father, Thomas Long, in May 1990.

Debbie jokes that she was born with ketchup in her veins, and it runs pretty thick — she began doing odd jobs in the business when she was just 9 years old. After graduating from high school, she was anxious to experience city life so she moved to San Diego. Later she returned to Colorado, living in Fort Collins and Denver. Throughout the years she stayed closely tied to McDonald's, working at a variety of restaurants and at the distribution center in Denver.

Twenty years later she is back in the area and anxious to make a contribution as one of Delta's newest small business owners.

The $600,000 upgrade will not only give McDonald's a fresh new look inside and out, it is also expected to speed up drive-thru service and provide a more positive dining experience. Christofferson Commercial Builders, the Colorado-based firm which built the Delta restaurant 22 years ago, will also handle the upgrade. The restaurant will remain open throughout the remodeling project, although the lobby will be closed for a week, probably in June, for a complete makeover, from floor to ceiling.

"The new interior will be a welcoming environment where customers can enjoy a great meal or snack while taking advantage of our free Wi-Fi service," Shea Long said. "We will have many new outlets so customers can plug in and enjoy a smoothie or a coffee."

Although the playground will be removed, the outdoor seating will remain. The sleek, new exterior will be a combination of stucco and chocolate brown tile with yellow accents and all new signage, similar to the newly remodeled McDonald's restaurants in Clifton and Fruita. Energy efficient LED lighting, equipment and fixtures reflect the environmental standards McDonald's has developed for new restaurants and rebuilds.

In conjunction with the store remodel, Ridgway Valley Enterprises will be modifying access from Gunnison River Drive. The route proposed for the city's new alternate truck route will result in the closure of all but one driveway from Gunnison River Drive, so Shea Long has worked out an agreement with City Market to open an access point on the south side of the restaurant.

Since its opening in 1990, McDonald's of Delta has sold over 170,000 Big Macs and been a major employer. The restaurant currently has 45 employees and has been managed by Stephanie Music for eight years. Giving back to the community has become a tradition through McTeachers Night, TCAP events, fundraisers and charitable donations.

"Many might think that because we are McDonald's, we are a large corporation," Shea Long said. "I am a small local business owner just like any small business owner. I am pleased and fortunate to be aligned with such a great corporation. Our founder, Ray Kroc, said, 'None of us is as good as all of us.' I truly believe that motto to be true from our crew in the restaurant to the City of Delta as a whole."

During construction, McDonald's will be offering weekly specials. The re-opening will be celebrated with a weekend full of parties, special events and great food.

For more than 35 years, McDonald's has been a leader in providing transparent, easily accessible nutrition information to help customers make more informed decisions (www.mcdonalds.com). McDonald's is the first quick service restaurant to offer smart meals for kids which meet the nutritional requirements developed by the Colorado Deparment of Public Health and Environment.

"McDonald's is committed to providng your family with food choices made from real high quality ingredients," Long Shea said. "With McDonald's Made For You cooking system, orders can be customized to meet nutritional needs and taste preferences. A flexible menu and wide variety of sizes make it easy for our customers to create a range of meal combinations that fall within recommended guidelines for calories, fat and other nutrients."

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