Celest Quintana, who owns the McDonalds in Irvington, was honored by the New Jersey Business & Industry Association.
Celest Quintana came to America as a child and is living the American Dream.
She owns the McDonald’s in Irvington, one in East Orange, three in Newark, four in Jersey City and one in Parsippany.
Quintana was honored last month with an award from the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA). She was given the 2023 Caren Franzini Leadership Award at its annual New Jersey Women Business Leaders Forum.
She has nothing but praise for the company.
“McDonald’s treats everybody exactly the same,” she said. “McDonald’s is there to train you, to offer you a hand. There’s never an issue climbing up the ladder. You run your restaurants well. You represent the brand a hundred percent. It’s about those golden arches. If you do well, if an opportunity comes up, they’ll offer
you another restaurant, expanding your horizons.”
Even as a kid, Quintana had an entrepreneurial spirit.
“I always wanted to get things done yesterday,” she said.
She was rambunctious and couldn’t stand still for too long. She also had a normal childhood with a mother and father who were always looking for opportunities.
“My father was big on education. He said, ‘Follow your dreams,’” she said.
Born in Spain, Quintana came to the United States when she was 10.
“I love the United States,” she said. “The minute I stepped off the plane I knew this was home.”
Quintana graduated from East Side High School and attended Montclair State for about a year but didn’t finish school because she wanted to jump into the workforce.
“I get very passionate about whatever I’m doing,” she said.
Her first business opportunity was opening up a high-end clothing store in Harrison. She opened another in Newark a few years later. One of her customers suggested she apply for the McDonald’s franchise. After two years of rigorous training, Quintana was able to quickly move through the system and get her first restaurant.
“The hardest part was at the beginning, growing one restaurant into the second to the third. It was a struggle to save money to put down to buy a restaurant,” Quintana said. Now four of her children work with her and she enjoys seeing them take the business to the next level. They began working with her at a young age.
“That’s my biggest joy,” she said. “We needed their labor and didn’t have a lot of money to run the restaurant.”
She also enjoys seeing her friends in the business succeed.
“The rewards are endless when you see the people around you doing wonderful things – seeing friends who started with you 30 years ago climbing the ladder.” she said.
Another bonus being a McDonald’s owner is giving back.
“We give back to the school system, the shelters,” she said. “During the pandemic, my daughter would take food to the university hospitals. She’s taken full reigns of the restaurants. She is so amazing, coming up with ideas. Halloween events, Earth Day events, taking food to prison where once a month they have a treat for the inmates. She’ll take them sandwiches.”
While Quintana is not ready to retire she feels confident that her children could carry on the businesses.
When asked what her favorite McDonald’s meal is, Quintana said; “A double cheeseburger, a small fry and an apple pie.”
In her spare time Quintana enjoys cooking — everything.
“Life is good,” she said. “And this country is an amazing country.”
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