Indian-Origin McDonald's Employee Receives $40,000 Reward for 40 Years of Dedicated Service

Balbir Singh commenced his McDonald's career in 1985, dedicating four decades to the renowned fast food chain.

An Indian-origin employee who devoted 40 years of service to a McDonald's location in Massachusetts was celebrated with a spectacular red-carpet reception on Monday. His colleagues and franchise management orchestrated an elaborate ceremony honoring his remarkable tenure with the American fast food giant.

Balbir Singh, who began working at the chain's Saugus location shortly after immigrating to the United States in the 1980s, arrived in a luxurious limousine to find enthusiastic coworkers gathered for a surprise celebration commemorating his impressive milestone.

The celebration included presenting Singh with a service award, a special "One in Eight" commemorative jacket—referencing the significant portion of Americans who have been employed by McDonald's—and a generous $40,000 check representing his 40 years of dedication to the restaurant, according to 7 News Boston.

Lindsay Wallin, the franchise owner whose family has managed the restaurant for generations, expressed deep appreciation for Singh's influence on both the business and its employees.

"Forty years of service for someone who has helped shape the heart and soul of our organization," Wallin remarked, as reported by Item Live.

Wallin shared that her father and original franchise owner, Bob King, had worked closely with Singh throughout most of his career at the company. She explained that King's legacy centered on creating a "McFamily" built upon values of hard work, opportunity, and loyalty.

"Many of the people standing here were part of that original team, including Balbir," she noted.

Now leading the business, Wallin emphasized that Singh's contributions remain essential to their success.

"One of the things that I admire most about Balbir is that he has embraced our company motto of 'Why not?' Why not try something new? Why not grow? Why not push for better? That attitude has fueled our success and opened doors for so many of our employees," she said.

Singh began his McDonald's journey at a Somerville location in 1985.

"I first started as crew. I worked in the kitchen and helped in the back… I tried to do everything," he recalled. His initial responsibilities eventually led to promotions and, over time, to supervising multiple restaurants.

"I'm really, really proud to work for this company," he expressed.

Later that day, Singh, also known as Pargan to many colleagues, was transported to dinner in a limousine where coworkers again extended a red carpet in his honor.

His colleagues affectionately refer to him as "papa bear."

"He's just a great guy, he's committed to the business, he's committed to his employees, they all call him 'papa bear', they love him. It was just a no-brainer to go big for him, for sure," Wallin shared.

When asked why he has remained with the company for four decades, Singh simply stated, "It's kind of family, just put it that way. You know, that's why I'm here so long."