Husband and wife team Cameron and Rebecca Binet have gone from flipping burgers to running a McDonald’s with 165 employees.
The couple took over the Noosaville restaurant late last year, after Cameron first started working there in 2007.
“I started when I was 14 as a crew person – I just turned 30 now,” Mr Binet said.
“I worked my way up from a crew person to a franchisee now, and I loved every minute of it.”
It was a similar story for Mrs Binet.
“I also started when I was 14, ironically, just as my first job,” she said.
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Mr Binet was first exposed to the industry by his parents, who own the McDonald’s franchises at Maroochydore, Kuluin, Nambour, Sippy Downs and Coolum Beach.
He said he felt privileged to have been exposed to McDonald’s by his parents, but stayed after finding his own love for the workplace.
“I didn’t become a franchisee because they were – it was more because I loved the business and never wanted to leave,” Mr Binet said.
“I was guided by them, which I was very fortunate for and shaped who I am today, but at the same time I really enjoyed it on my own two feet, with Rebecca, and we love every minute of what we do.”
Mrs Binet added: “We were fortunate enough to take over Noosaville in November of last year, which ironically is the restaurant where Cameron and I worked the longest together in our careers for a period of time.
“So it was very wholesome for us coming full circle there – to come back and be the owners of the restaurant that we really feel shaped our careers the most.”
Cameron and Rebecca originally met in university, but knew of each other from McDonald’s.
“We knew each other from McDonald’s but we did meet at university I think when we were 17, so we’ve been together for 12 or 13 years,” Mrs Binet said.
“The whole time we’ve both been working at McDonald’s so it’s kind of our whole life.”
The couple agreed that their previous experience in McDonald’s had given them an advantage as franchisees.
“We are not really sure what more we could have done to prepare ourselves because we’ve done all the various roles for an extended period of time,” Mrs Binet said.
Mr Binet added: “Our business runs 24/7, 365 days, we are always on call. You’re making burgers in the kitchen on a daily basis, it’s a very hands-on business.
“I think having that McDonald’s experience and the lead-up definitely helped because that’s just the business that it is.”
Noosaville McDonald’s currently has 165 employees, with eight managers and 155 crew members, plus the Binets.
Among them is Leny McEwen, who has been working at McDonald’s for almost 30 years – 16 years at the Noosaville restaurant alone.
“She’s really the backbone,” Mrs Binet said.
Cameron and Rebecca said they were committed to keeping their restaurant running smoothly.
“The first and foremost thing that we need to keep doing is running the very best restaurant that we can,” Mr Binet said.
“From a quality, service and cleanliness point of view, from a customers’ point of view, that’s our number one priority.”
They also hope to continue their involvement in the local community.
“What we’ve already started doing is local sponsorships and supporting the community,” Mr Binet said.
“The most recent one is Noosa touch football – we’ve done a new local sponsorship there.”
After working together for 10 years as managers and crew, and now franchisees, Rebecca and Cameron continue to make a great team.
“A lot of people say to us ‘how do you work with your husband and wife?’. We work very well hand in hand with one another – we really enjoy doing it,” Mrs Binet said.
“As much as it started out as Cameron’s family’s business, it’s now becoming kind of like our family’s business – how we can shape it and make it our own for the next generation.”
Kelsey Reid is a journalism intern with Sunshine Coast News.
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