Eugenia and Michael Cassidy took over the two McDonald’s stores in Penn Hills last year, and, so far, they’re “lovin’ ” it.

But there’s more to getting in on one of the world’s most recognizable brands than just pooling together at least $500,000 in nonborrowed funds, the minimum for prospective franchisees.

“It’s not just, hey, if you can show up with the money and can afford it, you’re in,” Michael Cassidy said.

The process to open or take over a franchise comprises a series of interviews, exams and job shadows over about a year and a half.

Of the company’s more than 13,000 stores in the U.S., about 95% are independently owned, per the company’s website.

Michael Cassidy took on the bulk of those training responsibilites and handles more of the day-to-day, in-store duties, while Eugenia, his wife, runs payroll, marketing and other back-end tasks.

Seeking financial independence, the Mt. Lebanon couple, both 34, also considered purchasing Bojangles, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, Jersey Mike’s Subs stores as well as some nonfood businesses.

A 2021 survey from Franchise Insights found that a quarter of franchise inquires were coming from millennials, apparently replacing baby boomers as they entered retirement.

Ultimately, the couple went for “a classic American brand,” as Eugenia Cassidy put it.

They hardly could have picked a more challenging start-up experience in the fast-food world, according to Adam Goldman, a franchise coach and consultant.

“When it comes to fast food, many of them have really rigorous training programs, but McDonald’s in my opinion has one of the most rigorous training programs,” Goldman said.

The couple’s stores, on Frankstown and Saltsburg roads, have been open and run by owner-operators for decades. The Frankstown store, they noted, opened in the early 1960s, making it the second-oldest McDonald’s location in the Pittsburgh area.

If franchisees wanted to, say, paint their stores green, that wouldn’t fly with McDonald’s corporate, but owners mostly run their stores as they see fit.

“Obviously, we are constantly in contact with McDonald’s corporate … but the actual stores are very much ours,” Eugenia Cassidy said.

They hire, train and pay their own employees, for example. Between their two stores, the Cassidys have more than 115 people on payroll, many of them current or recently graduated Penn Hills High School students.

Sofi Little, one of those former students, recently started as the Frankstown store’s general manager.

For all this change behind the scenes, longtime customers haven’t noticed much of a difference.

Pete Cullen, 65, of Penn Hills has gone to the Frankstown location almost every day since he was 10 years old.

“I’ve seen a lot here,” Cullen said.

He has witnessed the store expand and neighboring hot dog and doughnut shops come and go.

But his cheeseburgers, even under new ownership, have stayed constant.