Mathews Brothers Revamp McDonald?s Stores

Bill and Walter Mathews plan to open two new McDonald’s restaurants this month and renovate six of their existing stores.

A 3,000-SF McDonald’s is slated to open by mid-May in Centerton. That restaurant will seat 105 diners.

They also plan to open a new prototype McDonald’s on May 18 in the front part of the Wal-Mart Supercenter being built in Rogers’ Pleasant Crossing development.

Bill Mathews said that McDonald’s will be different from others in Wal-Mart stores because it will feature trendy upscale décor, new lighting, aluminum chairs, stained concrete floors and laminate on the walls.

“It’s nothing like we’ve ever done before,” he said.

Mathews previously told the Business Journal that moving a McDonald’s outlet from the back to the front of a Wal-Mart store can increase sales by 30 percent.

The brothers currently own 24 McDonald’s restaurants through Mathews Management Corp. of Springdale. Except for one in Stillwell, Okla., the rest are located in Northwest Arkansas.

Bill Mathews said they are revamping five McDonald’s restaurants to allow for two side-by side drive-through lanes. The work has already been completed at the restaurants in Bentonville and Siloam Springs.

The lane work is currently under way at the store at 520 Thompson St. in Springdale, which will also be gutted so the seating and décor can be redone.

Next, they’ll redo the lanes at the McDonald’s at 578 E. Joyce Blvd. in Fayetteville. Later this year, they will add an additional lane to the drive-through of the store at 1963 W. Sixth St. in Fayetteville. The widening projects also include a canopy to protect customers from rain.

Bill Mathews said they also plan to renovate the Lowell McDonald’s and add 30 seats to the front dining room.

“We’re also looking for additional sites,” Bill Mathews said. “There’s lots of opportunity to grow here.”