McDonald's drive-thru reopens as remodeling of Harrison restaurant continues

The drive-thru of McDonald’s in Harrison reopened Thursday, but the dining area remains closed as a remodeling of the restaurant continues, a member of the family that owns the location said.

The McDonald’s on Freeport Road in the Natrona Heights area of the township closed for remodeling on Sept. 9. Work is expected to be finished by Sept. 28, said Nick Delligatti, who supervises the location that is one of nine owned and operated by his father, Dan Delligatti.

Nick Delligatti, great-grandson of Big Mac inventor Jim Delligatti, owns a McDonald’s in Venango County.

Asked why they would reopen the drive-thru before the entire project is finished, Delligatti said, “We have a lot of loyal guests. They really miss us when we’re gone. We want to give them the opportunity to visit us while we’re under construction.”

The drive-thru is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Even when the work is all done, the dining room will not immediately reopen because of covid-19 restrictions, Delligatti said. That will preclude any grand reopening celebrations and events.

“Since the virus happened this year, that stuff unfortunately will have to be on hold for a little while,” he said.

Besides the drive-thru, customers will be able to pickup food curbside and have it delivered.

The overhaul is part of a national effort to modernize McDonald’s restaurants across the United States, spokeswoman Kerry Ford said.

The project includes a complete exterior remodeling of the location to the brand’s new look. The dining room will be brand new with a new decor while not losing any seating, and the front patio will remain, Delligatti said.

“It won’t look like anything that was in there before,” he said. “I think it’s definitely modern and with the times. It’s definitely not what we’re used to for over 50 years.”

While the once-iconic double-sloped mansard roof is gone, Delligatti said, “We’ll still have the Golden Arches up there. That doesn’t change.”

Self-order kiosks will be added inside, and table service — where an employee brings food to a customer’s table — will come with them when the dining room reopens, he said.

“We’re really excited and eager to get back open. Any time we have to be down for any reason we don’t like it because we miss seeing our people every day,” he said. “I think the community is really going to like the new look and the new customer experience.”