IRWIN, Pa. — A McDonald’s employee in Pennsylvania celebrated her 100th birthday with coworkers and the community this week.
Ruthie Shuster has worked at the McDonald’s in the town of Irwin, outside Pittsburgh, for 26 years.
“I love this job. I meet a lot of nice people. And everybody is nice to work with and we got a good manager,” she told local station KDKA. “I enjoy all of those people coming in and singing. We sing and we dance and talk.”
The Irwin McDonald’s is also the Big Mac Museum, with artifacts and artwork on display in addition to serving customers.
So many people wanted to send Shuster a birthday card, it required a special mailbox to collect them and included notes from around the world.
On her big day, Ronald McDonald himself wished Shuster a happy birthday, in a parking lot full of balloons and well wishers from the community.
Shuster says she became a widow at 50 and has been working ever since. She has no plans to retire any time soon.
Shuster’s advice for her younger colleagues and fans?
“The most important thing in the world is love,” she said.
She also loves dancing, and would often dance or entertain customers before the pandemic closed indoor dining.