Food Chain - Issue 213 - August 2026 | Page 163

____________________________________________________________________________ Lemaca
Restaurants Limited

SERVING THE

COMMUNITY

Why local trust is more important than marketing campaigns for regional restaurant operator Lemaca

In Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK, a McDonald’ s lobby ambassador with 40 years of service was awarded a local business award by his own customers. It’ s a modest story, but it says a great deal about Lemaca Restaurants Limited( Lemaca) and its dedicated employees. The franchise group has grown from a single flagship site back in December 1999 to operating 14 McDonald’ s restaurants across Staffordshire and Cheshire, with Company Director, Eddie Leligdowicz, behind the wheel for the past 26 years. For Lemaca – now a £ 70-million operation employing around 1650 people – community isn’ t merely a marketing line; as Eddie puts it:

“ You have to earn the right to operate in a community.” And Lemaca’ s approach to doing exactly that is what sets it apart.
Eddie’ s journey with McDonald’ s began in 1998. While working as an electrical and electronic engineer, he applied to become a franchisee before acquiring his first store in Newcastle-under-Lyme the following year.
“ Expanding the business to 14 restaurants wasn’ t just a case of financial investment; this growth is predicated on meeting and surpassing McDonald’ s exacting brand standards, he says.“ I named the business Lemaca, as it’ s an anagram of my family’ s initials- and it seems to make an association to McDonald’ s!”
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