Butler County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, third from left, and owner Jim Sweeney, third from right, cut the ribbon Dec. 12 at the new McDonald's restaurant at Butler Crossing Shopping Center along New Castle Road.

BUTLER TWP — Fries didn't come with the ribbon cutting on Dec. 12 of the new McDonald's restaurant at Butler Crossing Shopping Center at New Castle and Hindman roads.

Two donations, however, did with Jim Sweeney, the owner-operator of Butler's three McDonald's, giving $1,000 each to the United Way of Butler County and the Butler Rotary Club's Turkey Round Up.

Sweeney said his father opened a McDonald's in the North Hills in 1957. The McDonald's on New Castle Road opened in 1977, the first in Butler County.

The family also owns the McDonald's on New Castle Road, Route 8 south at the Greater Butler Mart and on Route 8 north at Clearview Mall.

"We've been wanting to relocate for years (on New Castle Road), and been in a waiting position," Sweeney said, adding the old site is hard to get in and out of, as cars are not allowed to turn left out of the parking lot.

The original restaurant employs 55 people, while the newer and larger Butler Crossing store will have about 70 employees.

"We find the new site very interesting because it is closer to Route 422, so we hope to bring more customers from the highway," Sweeney said.

The new restaurant opened Dec. 19 and the old restaurant has closed.