Learn About the McGraw Family McDonald’s

Rick McGraw’s journey with McDonald’s began in 1968 as a crew member in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, while attending the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. After years of leadership experience and dedication, Rick and his wife, Dona, opened their first restaurant in Litchfield, Illinois, in 1978. Their commitment to quality service and community connection helped the business continue growing throughout Illinois. What began as one restaurant expanded into multiple locations, including Highland, Carlinville, Jerseyville, Hillsboro, Springfield, Williamsville, and Litchfield, creating a lasting family-owned legacy built on hard work and local relationships.

Mike McGraw is the primary owner of McGraw Family McDonald’s, operating locally owned restaurants in Litchfield, Williamsville, and Sherman, Illinois. A 2006 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Russian Studies, Mike began his career in banking before joining the family business in 2007. He worked his way through restaurant operations and McDonald’s management development and Next Generation programs before becoming an Owner/Operator, continuing a family legacy that began when his father, Rick McGraw, joined McDonald’s in 1968 and opened the family’s first restaurant in Litchfield in 1978. Mike has served in leadership roles with the ILIA COOP Board, McDonald’s national advertising organization OPNAD, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois. He is also committed to developing future leaders through the McGraw Family McDonald’s Crew Scholarship Program and was recognized as a Springfield 40 Under 40 honoree in 2021. Mike and his wife, Juliana, have three sons, Mason, Eli, and Connor, and remain deeply committed to their employees and the central Illinois communities they serve.