‘McDonald’s changed the course of my life’: Congressman sells business he built since his teen years

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A North Carolina congressman who started working at McDonald’s as a teenager has sold the restaurant business he and his wife spent decades building, bringing a nearly 50-year chapter with the fast-food chain to a close.

Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., and his wife, Teresa, announced Monday that they’ve sold their McDonald’s restaurant business to longtime friends and fellow franchisees Christine and Chris Nevant of Asheville, North Carolina.

Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

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Edwards said the transition marks the end of a journey that began when he took his first job at McDonald’s when he was 16 years old.

Years later, he purchased that same restaurant — eventually increasing his ownership into multiple locations across western North Carolina.

The exterior of a McDonald's in North Carolina is shown at left. U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., is shown at right.

“McDonald’s changed the course of my life,” Edwards said in a statement. “It taught me the value of hard work, personal responsibility, teamwork and serving others.”

The sale allows Edwards to fully step away from business ownership and devote more time to serving western North Carolina in Congress, he said.

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“While leaving a business that has meant so much to our family is bittersweet, this transition allows us to dedicate even more time and energy to the work of serving our communities and fighting for the people of our mountain region,” Edwards said.

Edwards said the company “taught me the value of hard work, personal responsibility, teamwork and serving others.”

The buyers are longtime friends of the Edwards family. They’ve owned McDonald’s restaurants in the Asheville area for years, according to a news release announcing the sale.

The announcement did not disclose how many restaurants were included in the sale.

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., sits during a House Budget Committee hearing.

After Edwards was elected to the North Carolina Senate in 2016, Teresa Edwards took over the day-to-day management of the McDonald’s restaurants.

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“There is no question that Teresa made this possible,” the 65-year-old congressman said.

Chuck Edwards and his wife, Teresa, during the 2021 Christmas parade in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

“She carried the responsibility of managing our business for nearly a decade while I served in elected office. Her dedication, leadership and countless sacrifices gave me the opportunity to serve our communities. I couldn’t be more grateful.”

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The couple thanked their employees, customers and the surrounding communities for supporting the business over the years.

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“We will always be thankful for the friendships we’ve made and for the opportunity to have been part of so many lives through our restaurants,” Edwards said.

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