By Donna Cornelius
Lots of moms and dads take the kids to McDonald’s for a fun and casual night out.
Ashley Kaple’s family meals at the popular fast food chain are no different, except for one thing. When the Kaples go to McDonald’s, there’s a good chance she owns the store.
The 34-year-old Mountain Brook resident owns 13 McDonald’s in places such as Trussville, Leeds, Moody, Pinson, Pell City, Talladega, Oneonta and Rome, Georgia. She manages more than 1,000 employees.
“I was born in Atlanta, and my parents moved to Oneonta when I was 8 and built the first McDonald’s there,” Kaple said. “They also lived in Arab and Guntersville, where I went to high school. My parents, Charles and Billie Spann, live in Guntersville now.”
Once she was old enough, Kaple pitched in at McDonald’s, she said.
“I loved being involved in the business,” Kaple said. “I’d go with my dad to help other owners open new stores. We’re all one big McFamily.”
Despite those experiences, Kaple wasn’t sure what career she wanted to pursue when she enrolled at Samford University.
“I got two degrees, one in biology and one in business,” she said. “During my junior year, I decided I loved McDonald’s and business, so I called my dad and told him I wanted to go into the business with him.”
Kaple said she learned “from the ground up.”
“I went through the McDonald’s training program, which took about two years,” she said. “I was approved as an owner when I was 24.”
Her first store was in Oneonta.
“That was neat, because it was the first McDonald’s I’d known because my parents built it,” she said.
Kaple has been married for eight years to Dr. Trevor Kaple, a Birmingham endodontist. They have three daughters: 5-year-old Reese, 3-year-old Pearce and Kennedy, who’s about 20 months old.
Balancing family and work responsibilities can be a challenge, Kaple said.
“I try to get up and exercise, and then I pray a lot and drink a pot of coffee to start the day,” she said. “I evaluate sales and deal with any customer complaints or issues. I have a great team of directors, supervisors and managers. We touch base every day so I can make sure they have what they need. Some days, I might spend all day at one store, or I might visit several.”
Kaple said she’s proud of the food McDonald’s serves.
“Our food comes from really great suppliers,” she said.
She also said it’s possible to eat at McDonald’s without blowing your diet.
“It’s all about moderation,” she said. “If you want a hamburger and fries, it’s not the end of the world. We do have healthy options, too, like our Egg White Delights, Southwestern Salad and parfaits. You can eat a whole day at McDonald’s and stay within your diet.”
She pointed to John Cisla, a high school biology teacher from Iowa who wrote a book about his experience of eating solely at McDonald’s for six months. Cisla said his weight dropped from 249 to 190 pounds during that time.
Her favorite treat, she said, is a McDonald’s ice cream cone.
“It’s only about 150 calories,” she said.
Offering healthy choices isn’t the only change the company has made, Kaple said.
“As the world has changed, customers require us to have customization, and they care about their food,” she said. “Having all-day breakfast is a result of listening to our customers. Coffees, including lattes and different flavors, are a new thing. But we still make our hamburgers the same way.”
Kaple is on the board of directors of Birmingham’s Ronald McDonald House, is a member of McDonald’s regional leadership team and is involved with several chambers of commerce, she said.
“My husband and I go to as many charity and school events as possible,” she said.
When she’s not working, she loves spending time with her husband and children, she said.
“We play tennis and go to the park,” Kaple said. “And recently, we packed up the family and went to McDonald’s. I worked, and the kids played.”
Her children love Happy Meals, she said – a good thing when Mom owns the store.