Born and raised in Connecticut, Stephen Murphy grew up playing sports year round, with a love of baseball, mathematics and learning. His career path originally pointed toward engineering, but that changed when his parents bought their first restaurant in Enterprise. McDonald’s had already been part of his family’s story, with his parents meeting while working for the company in Massachusetts and his father later working for McDonald’s Corporation throughout Stephen’s childhood. Today, Murphy has held every position within his family’s organization, from crew member to Owner Operator, and works alongside his family to operate Murphy Family Restaurants across Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. He shares his perspective on family business, community involvement, workforce development and the future of the restaurant industry.
“Positively impacting our employees and communities around us has kept and will keep us committed in the years to come.”
What originally drew your family into the McDonald’s franchise business, and what has kept you committed to it?
While my parents met while they were working for gas money at McDonald’s in Massachusetts. My Dad worked for the corporation my whole childhood. I was taught how to diagnose issues in a drive thru at a very young age. Fast forward Forty plus years and now it is a full family affair. Positively impacting our employees and communities around us has kept and will keep us committed in the years to come.
What do you look for when deciding where a new restaurant makes sense, and what do you see in the growth happening around communities like Pike Road?
This is a very common question I receive. McDonald’s franchisees can submit land to be looked at by McDonald’s corporation. More commonly, McDonald’s leverages their real estate department to identify new sites. After a site is found, McDonald’s will award the new restaurant to an eligible operator. The growth in Pike Road is admirable. From incorporating a new town to its current state in such a short period is amazing. The effort of each citizen to make the community a better place is apparent and should be praised.
How do you balance the consistency of a national brand with understanding the individual communities your restaurants serve?
We try to stay as active in our communities as possible and try to attach our name to the restaurants we own. Supporting education is extremely important to Murphy Family values. Our Marketing and Community Outreach Director as well to help us manage each location. With this structure my family is able to help support and advocate for schools, sports teams, churches, charities, front line workers and community events.
What has been the biggest challenge of adapting to the ongoing changes in the restaurant industry, and what change has created the biggest opportunity?
Customer expectations are always evolving but a few simple things always stay true: FRIENDLY service, hot food and accurate and fast service at a good price always will be on top of the customer’s mind. Rapidly changing technology always keeps times interesting. We have had to change our approach and hire employees that know much more about technology than we do.
What role do you believe a company like yours can play in developing young people and preparing them for their careers, whether they stay in the restaurant business or not?
When I have the opportunity, I love to conduct interviews with first-time workers. I often explain that McDonald’s can teach and test many skills people will need in the workforce for their future endeavors. It is a good opportunity to talk about tuition assistance for those interested in furthering their education. McDonald’s can range from a steppingstone to a fruitful career; there’s a spot for everyone within the company.
What have you learned from working alongside your parents, and how has that influenced the way you lead today?
This is the greatest part of running my business. My great-grandfather on my dad’s side instilled a mindset of continuous improvement into my family, which is still present. My grandmother worked six days a week in restaurants until she reached 80 years old. My leadership is guided by work ethic, accountability, continuous education and environment. I believe in surrounding yourself with people who are more intelligent and/or positively outgoing.
Community involvement appears to be an important part of Murphy Family Restaurants’ identity. What does being a good corporate citizen mean to you, and how do you decide where your company can make the greatest impact?
I learned from faith, family and life lessons that giving back will always come back tenfold. Helping and supporting those throughout your community will only make your community stronger and a better place to live. You always try to make the “right” decision even if the consequences can be difficult. Our company tries our best to say, “Yes, and how?”. Murphy Family Restaurants cannot participate in every event, so we try to involve ourselves in what is important to each community. Sometimes the impact ranges from a single individual to an entire community.
What excites you most about the area’s growth and business climate, and what do you think the River Region needs to continue getting right?
The people and communities are what excite me most. This area has been growing since my family moved here almost twenty years ago. Continuous improvement on leading edge education, supporting families in need and expansion of business friendly communities will help the River Region continue growing.
When you look ahead, what do you want Murphy Family Restaurants to be known for, beyond the McDonald’s brand itself?
I want to be known for being the best in class of McDonald’s franchisees, helping our communities continue to grow and flourish. How we interact with each customer, employee, constituent and community is super important. Lastly, simple and a little mushy; I want my parents and grandmother to be proud of how I represented the Murphy’s.
Just for FUN!
Recommended Read: Atomic Habits by James Clear
On the Queue: I love a wide variety of music. O.A.R., Matchbox 20 and Grateful Dead are among my favorites.
Dinner Date: Nikola Tesla; arguably the most intelligent scientist of the last 100 years. I would love to gain any of his scientific knowledge and theories of the universe. (I’m a nerd and am OK with it!)
Out of Office: I enjoy weight lifting, cooking a nice meal, having a nice day on the beach, traveling and meeting new people from various cultures. Almost any sporting event will also capture my interest.
