Fast Food A Fun Family of

By Eric Grimes

Fast food is a wild industry with much variety, but Katie Congdon went down that path because of family. She has been at the helm of her family’s business for over two decades now, and it’s clear that her passion for the industry has not waned. Since starting out working under her father and growing up in the family business, to now running it herself, Congdon has seen her fair share of both challenges and triumphs.

According to Congdon, one of the biggest challenges she faces is keeping up with the ever-changing dynamics of the world. In today’s fast-paced culture, we don’t take time to just sit down and enjoy a meal like we used to, Katie explains.

“Everyone is in a hurry, and they want their order quickly.”

At Dan’s Hamburgers, however, they pride themselves on preparing all menu items to order, despite the pressure to fold and bend even more into the culture of fast food.

She visits her stores daily, enjoys working with all of the staff, and really appreciates the community that has blossomed.

One of Katie’s early issues with running Dan’s came early on.

“We are not about fast food, as we prepare all menu items to order,”, Congdon explained.

One of Congdon’s favorite aspects of running the business is getting to know their loyal customers and building a family with their employees as well, seeing as some of them have been in their company for decades, for over 10, 20, or 30 years.

“I care about our staff, and they are like family to me,” Congdon said.

“One of the biggest challenges I faced early on in my career was building and opening a new store from the ground up. That was something I had not done on my own But I did learn and took that experience” It was something new to her, and while it may have been difficult, she pushed through and has now opened up many stores, with new locations on the way.

Despite the challenges,

Congdon is most proud of being able to stay true to who they are as a business.

They have been in business for 50 years and still prepare their burgers the exact same way Dan did, with the freshest ingredients and in-house preparation.

“It is difficult trying to keep and Dan’s attempt to stay true to the values that their family business was founded upon. By providing high-quality, fresh ingredients and in- up with everyone in a hurry, but we still prepare our menu items to order when our customers place their order,” Congdon said.

She’s helped Dan’s maintain both consistency in quality of food and morals, keeping Dan’s a family business with a strong community.

“My favorite part about running the business is getting to know our loyal customers.”

Congdon sheds light on the roadblocks and rewards of running a family business in the fast food industry. Despite the pressure to provide fast food and keep up with the ever changing culture of our world, Congdon house preparation, she has maintained the loyalty of their customers and staff for over five decades. Her advice for anyone who would like to work in this industry would be to be disciplined, passionate, and lead by example.

“No one is going to have more passion for your business like yourself,” Congdon said. “Be a good example.”

by Eric Grimes

There are 353,000+ Fast Food Workers in Texas

The Biggest Fast Food Chain in America is McDonalds

Sources: Investopedia.com, Bureau of Labor Statisticd (bls) .com

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