BY PAUL MITCHELL
North Country This Week

CANTON - Throughout his mayoral career, Michael Dalton has heard numerous times, “Where is our McDonald’s?”

On Friday, and after more than five years, Canton residents will once again have the opportunity to enjoy an Egg McMuffin or Big Mac and the long list of McDonald’s fare as the area’s newest restaurant opens in the Price Chopper parking lot, 111 E. Main St.

“I’m excited to have them back and excited to have a new business,” said Dalton.

The owner is Paul Ross. The new $3.5 million McDonald’s is expected to employ 70 full and part-time employees.

The hours of operation at 6 a.m to 2 a.m. daily. There will be two drive-through lanes and self-order kiosks in the dining room area.

With patrons using entrances to Price Chopper off Rt. 11 and Rt. 310 to access McDonald’s, an influx in traffic in an already bustling area is expected.

The mayor said the planning board had concerns about how traffic would move but noted McDonald’s willingly addressed those concerns. It took a little more than four months to build with ground broke in April.

A site plan presented to county officials in 2019 estimated about 200 vehicle trips through the dual-lane drive-through during peak morning hours.

“It does fit in there nicely,” the mayor said.

The Canton McDonald’s joins St. Lawrence County restaurants in Potsdam, Ogdensburg, Gouverneur and two in Massena.

The former Canton McDonald’s, 64 Main St., which closed in 2015, remains vacant.