July 30, 2026 ◆ By Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians
Although it was called a “soft” opening, hardcore McDonald’s fans crowded the parking lot of the newest fast food restaurant’s location in San Jacinto, June 23. Guests of all ages gathered outside for a ribbon cutting and welcome messages by local dignitaries prior to the opening at noon.
One month later, the three-day Grand Opening took place with even more fun to offer. Each day had a special theme with July 23 being a true celebration, July 24 offering Awareness Day to highlight important nonprofits such as FFA and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which help support families staying close to their children while they receive medical care. July 25 was dubbed Hero Day that put the spotlight on first responders and public safety in general.
Familiar characters were present at both events. The Hamburglar, Birdie the Early Bird, and Grimace posed for photos with youngsters and made their way through the long line of hungry diners to bring smiles to their faces before the doors were opened for ordering.
The newest location is at the Crossroads business area, which is owned by the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians. For the first day launch, the restaurant reached out to Soboba to request bird singers, a blessing and Tribal Council remarks. They worked closely with Joe Ontiveros and Jessica Valdez from Soboba’s Cultural Resource Department. The Andreas family offered some Cahuilla bird songs and was joined by several dancers. A blessing was given by Soboba’s Tribal Executive Officer Steven Estrada.
Estrada then welcomed everyone and Tribal Council members Daniel Valdez, Monica Herrera and Adona Salgado were introduced. Estrada said it is nice to have a major brand operation be the first to move into the Crossroads space.
“It’s good to see long lines because it just shows the need and use for the community overall,” Estrada said. “Tribal Council had some input on the design so it complimented Crossroads overall.”
He said the June 23 event was not just a ribbon-cutting ceremony but evidence of the Tribe’s resiliency, self-determination, and economic growth. Several years ago, Soboba purchased the off-reservation property, master planned it and put in all the infrastructure.
“We are here today welcoming a new business within the valley and into the community,” Estrada said. “They are not just providing economic support for the Tribe but economic support for the community as well by way of job opportunities, all contributing to the local economy so thank you to all who came out today.”
June’s opening found many attendees of the ribbon-cutting ceremony and introductions using umbrellas to shade themselves from the heat. But inside, the griddles stayed hot all day long as eager guests ordered their famous cheeseburgers at the special price of 80 cents each. It’s no surprise that they sold nearly 2,000 of them, while serving more than 1,200 customers on that first day.
Franchise owners/operators Randell Baremor and Ramin Ghaffari were recognized and applauded by Hemet/San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce and Greater San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce representatives for their investment in the local community.
Robert Graves, Director of Operations for a franchise group, spoke on behalf of business partners Baremor and Ghaffari.
“We are truly honored to be part of the San Jacinto community,” he said. “From the beginning, our goal has been to be more than just a place where families can come together and share a meal. We strive to be a trusted neighbor, a dependable employer, and a positive force that continues to grow. We believe that a strong business helps build strong communities; that means creating meaningful jobs, providing opportunities for personal and professional development, and supporting our communities.”
San Jacinto City Council members Alonso Ledezma, Valerie Vandever and Mayor Pro Tem Clarisa Sanchez were introduced by Mayor Crystal Ruiz, who presented the franchisees with a certificate of recognition. It read, in part, “The City of San Jacinto welcomes you and recognizes the positive contributions your business will bring to our community. We look forward to your ongoing partnership in serving the residents of San Jacinto for years to come.”
Ruiz said, “One of my first jobs was at McDonald’s; they’re like our family. We welcome the partnership between McDonald’s and Soboba, who are the cornerstone of our city.”
Hemet Mayor Linda Krupa presented a certificate on behalf of the Hemet City Council to recognize their investment in the valley and wished them “continued prosperity and success in serving the residents and visitors of the valley.”
The office of 5th District Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez recognized McDonald’s commitment and contribution to economic growth in Riverside County.
“We are grateful for the warm welcome we’ve received and look forward to serving our community with our delicious food for many years to come,” ARCS Training/HR Manager Elaine Contreras said.
Leon Clausen of San Jacinto arrived at midnight on June 23 driving his 1964 Malibu SS.
“I had this wild idea to do something spectacular like I was 17 again,” said the 42-year-old classic car enthusiast. I wanted to be the first person in the drive-thru of the new McDonald’s.”
Clausen thought driving his classic car to this classic restaurant would be very fitting. He added that security did a great job throughout the night as others arrived to be near the front of the line when the great deals started being served at noon.
For his efforts, Clausen was presented with a McDonald’s merchandise gift basket by San Jacinto Mayor Crystal Ruiz at the drive-thru window.
On July 23–25 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, there were prizes, games and special offers to celebrate the official grand opening. All those involved looked forward to sharing great food and great memories with the community.
“On behalf of McDonald’s, ARCS Restaurant Management, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible Team. It truly takes a village, and their dedication, hard work, and passion made our Soft Grand Opening a tremendous success,” Contreras said. “Most of all we would like to say thank you to the mayors, City Council members, Chambers of Commerce, Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians and Soboba Tribal Council, and the entire community for their support.”
Franchisee Baremor said things are going smoothly and they have been busier than expected. Currently, there are about 55 employees working at the 24/7 site. No stranger to McDonald’s, Baremor has been involved with the fast-food chain since high school and worked for another franchisee in Orange County for 30 years. He partnered with Ghaffari 15 years ago and they now operate 18 stores.
“It’s important to us to fit in with the community,” he said. “We don’t want this to be just another McDonald’s. Wherever we go, we have to connect to the community and that includes Soboba. We have been so happy with the way things have been going because we want this to be a destination McDonald’s.”
Baremor said that everything the store does as far as special events is up to the franchisees with the only thing controlled by McDonald’s being the menu. But they don’t work alone, they have an extensive team of about 20 that helps with everything from training to technology and marketing.
“We don’t just hire workers for the restaurant, but we hire those that are skilled in other areas, too,” he said. “It’s about giving employees the opportunity to grow with us.”
It’s not all about revenue to Baremor either. He said he would consider success to be accepted by the community who allow his restaurant to become part of their day.
Looking to be a hub where community members can connect, celebrate and enjoy, the newest San Jacinto McDonald’s is at 528 W. Ramona Expressway. For details, www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/location/ca/san-jacinto/528-w-ramona-expressw....
For more information about all local McDonald’s special events and promotions, please visit #arcsmcds on Instagram.
Photos courtesy of StylePhotography by Alex Tapia
