Stonestown Galleria McDonald’s closes after 30 years: high rent, taxes, California’s minimum wage.

The McDonald’s at San Francisco’s Stonestown Galleria has closed its doors after 30 years in business. The franchisee owner, Scott Roderick, cited two main reasons for the closure:

• Rent and Property Taxes: The landlord was unwilling to negotiate a long-term and sensible rent for the Stonestown location. Additionally, the property taxes and shared tenant mall fees were the highest paid for a single location within the company.
• California’s Minimum Wage: The state’s new minimum wage for fast-food workers, which went into effect on April 1, posed a strain for the business. While the law aimed to acknowledge that many fast-food workers are adults supporting their families, franchise owners have expressed challenges due to increased labor costs during California’s slowing economy.

This closure marks a significant moment for the franchise and its employees, and Roderick described it as a “gut-wrenching” day for his family.

The Stonestown Galleria McDonald’s is closing today after more than 30 years in business.

The franchisee owner Scott Rodrick told me this was for 2 reasons:

He says the landlord was unwilling to negotiate a “sensible” rent & that property taxes and mall fees were the highest… pic.twitter.com/qHmTe3PsQy

— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) June 23, 2024