Mother-Daughter Duo Own 12 McDonald’s Restaurants Around Newark

A New Jersey mother and daughter’s unique relationship can be summed up with a landmark number: 12. That’s the number of McDonald’s franchise restaurants in New Jersey - including multiple Newark locations - that Cranford residents Celest and Jessica Quintana own and operate together as business partners.

Here’s how their unique career path unfolded, according to a company news release:

“When Celest opened her first restaurant in North Bergen in 1992, Jessica was 14-years-old and was put to work right away. Just like any other employee, she started as a crew person and worked her way through the ranks during high school and college. After graduating from college, Celest encouraged Jessica to pursue other opportunities, which she did, but Jessica ultimately decided to come back home and follow in her mom’s footsteps."

Jessica Quintana said that watching her mother work so hard left a lasting impression on her as a child, and is the model for her own attempt to raise her nine-year-old daughter with the same sense of independence and perseverance.

“I’m extremely proud to be able to work alongside my mother to continue and grow our organization,” she said.

Celest Quintana said that she’s equally proud of their unique relationship.

“We have so much respect for each other as partners… the best thing about working together is that we do it as a family,” Celest Quintana said.

There’s just one rule, she added: “Never talk about work at home.”

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Caption: Jessica, far left, and Celest, far right, with Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss

Photo: McDonald's USA