McDonald’s is looking to expand into Wānaka, 14 years after an attempt to bring it to Alexandra failed.

Owner of Mackies Garden Centre Barry Mackie (76) said he can recall everything that happened in 2009 when McDonald’s proposed buying his corner site at Centennial Ave and Brandon St.

The site has since become the location for GWD Toyota Alexandra. 

Barry said McDonald’s gave him three months to find a new location and he rushed around to do so.

“They kept ringing up my lawyer to see how we were progressing with finding a new location for the garden centre. 

“I ended up in hospital for six weeks . . . after a crash on my [road] bike so I was trying to organise a site from there.

“I said yes go ahead and then it was in their court. They asked for three months for due diligence.”

Barry said both he and his lawyer were “screaming out for information” during this time, but it was impossible to get any update from McDonald’s about if the sale was going to happen. 

“Then on the very last day they rang up and said there was not enough through traffic and not enough of a stable population in the area.”

He said it was outrageous leaving him hanging for three months, it cost him a lot in lawyers fees and stress. 

The Central App asked McDonald’s about what happened in 2009 when Barry was communicating with them about the sale and the possibility of a restaurant for Alexandra.

McDonald’s Restaurants NZ spokesperson Simon Kenny said it was too long ago for him to comment.

“2009 pre-dates my time at McDonald’s and all the development team. Not sure if there was any truth in the rumours back then, much like Wānaka had rumours for a few decades that were always just local gossip. So, [I] can’t answer your question about why an Alexandra restaurant never eventuated specifically.”

The restaurant said it has a broad range of criteria to consider for new restaurant sites.

“They range from more general market factors for an area, through to specifics of our preferred types of sites. So, things like potential sales projection, any impact on other McDonald’s restaurants, and growth potential, through to the suitability of a site to accommodate a full service McDonald’s restaurant.”

For Wānaka, the proposed 445m2 restaurant and drive-through would be constructed within the Mt Iron Junction subdivision and just off the SH6/SH84 roundabout currently under construction.

“The restaurant and drive-through are proposed to operate on a 24 hour per day, seven day per week basis,” application documents submitted on behalf of McDonald’s Restaurants said.

The McDonald’s would have seating for 75 diners and parking for 24 cars. Simon confirmed the company’s intention to open a Wānaka restaurant in a response to questions from the Wānaka App.

“While there have been rumours about McDonald’s coming to Wānaka for some time, we’ve not previously had a site that we thought would meet our criteria, and would be appropriate for the town as it grows and new businesses open,” he said. 

“Working with a local developer we now have a site we think is suitable, and we’re commencing the formal council consent process. We’re committed to working through that process as required.”

A Central mother who wanted to remain anonymous said the takeaway would be a great budget option for a quick meal for children playing sports in Wānaka, “and having a drive through is so handy for parents who sometimes need to feed kids in the car”.

Meanwhile 4300 signatures are on an online petition, opposing a McDonald’s in Wānaka. Read the Wānaka App story: Residents not lovin’ it - McDonald’s backlash.

The resource consent application for the Wānaka restaurant was submitted on November 16 and the petition was created on November 22.