By Junior Linden
Ex-pilot trainee Claude Abi-Gerges, 48, started working in McDonald’s part-time as a crew member behind the grill whilst studying aviation at Kingston University to become a pilot 1990.
The young Abi-Gerges graduated with a degree in Aviation and Commercial Pilot Training, but at the age of 23 he decided that he wanted to give up his dream of flying and continue his career with McDonald’s.
The trade-off worked: although he took his first McDonald’s job in Camden to secure funds for his Aviation and Pilot training, he’s now a successful businessman, running 34 busy and successful franchises across London.
“Camden in North London was the first restaurant I worked at when I was 18 whilst studying to be a pilot. It was also the first restaurant I purchased when I left McDonald’s in 2010,” he said in an interview at one of his franchises, McDonald’s in Camden High Street.
Trading dreams
Born in Cambridge to immigrant parents from France who moved to Britain to make a better life for themselves, Abi-Gerges soon found that they were less than impressed that their son had decided to ditch his intended career to work at the Golden Arches, especially as he had spent so long studying.
But it was evident that Abi-Gerges had business at heart. He went full time at McDonalds, he quickly progressed through the ranks starting off as Crew Member 1992 and finishing off as Head of Operations in 2010, before purchasing his beloved Camden Restaurant.
“Whilst going through the ranks I got a lot of training and business qualifications at what we call ‘Hamburger University’ which is at McDonalds Head Office in East Finchley,” he said, sipping a McDonald’s coffee from their signature paper cup.
While the courses are not externally recognised, he uses them as a model at University open days to inspire anyone wanting to be their own boss and own a multi-million pound business.
Cold, hard cash
He advises those wanting to own their own franchise to have a willingness to put in the commitment and be prepared to live and breathe McDonald’s core values. He adds that having an initial outlay of unencumbered cash to the tune of £100,000 is helpful.
There is an extensive application process and the selection process is quite intense. If you are successful there is a nine-month training period to look forward to.
Although Abi-Gerges is a franchisee he still enjoys stepping back into his Camden restaurant and running the production bin, which is the coordinating of the kitchen staff to prepare fresh food.
“I still enjoy the buzz of working a Saturday lunchtime shift when all the parents are in with their children wanting their weekly fix of Chicken Nuggets or our Classic Hamburger,” he said.
“It brings me back to the 90’s when I was a spring chicken starting out at McDonald’s.”
Employee perks
Staff starting out at McDonald’s can expect free food on duty and an employee card after their three-month probation period, which entitles them to 40 percent discount off their order at any restaurant.
Abi-Gerges says that for him, that would mean ordering his perennial favourite: a Sausage & Egg McMuffin. “It’s my favourite because it was the first round sausage I had ever seen,” he said.
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