A Wisconsin couple who met in line at a McDonald’s – while ordering a Quarter Pounder with cheese and fries – has celebrated their 27th anniversary at the same restaurant.
Cindi and Mark Franceschina first looked at each other at McDonald’s on Green Bay Road in Racine on February 9, 1996. Mark, who was 25 years old at the time, said he was impressed by Cindi’s dark hair and smile as the pair met the line stood.
After receiving her order and running out the door, Mark followed her to where she was parked, where she ate her lunch. It was then that he mustered up the courage to ask her out – and three years later they were married.
Each year, the couple spends their anniversary lunch at the same McDonald’s – sharing fast food while celebrating decades of marital bliss.
The couple – who share three kids together – manage to pull it off, even if they have to swerve to the drive-thru, as they did during the pandemic.
Earlier this month, the couple were treated by McDonald’s, who decorated a table especially for them with 27 long stem roses, and provided sweets and their favorite meal.
The couple, Cindi and Mark Franceschina, meet at the McDonald’s in Racine for their anniversary lunch on February 9 at noon. This year, McDonald’s even gave the lovebirds a red-clothed table, red roses, and candy.
The couple – who act more like a newlyweds than an old married couple – were as giddy as ever when Mark handed his love a bouquet of flowers and a big mac on the house and talked about how in love he was when he met her for met first
The couple enjoyed their cheese quarter pounder with fries and soda as they celebrated 27 years of marriage
Rain or shine, the couple manages to meet on February 9 at noon – no excuse.
“There were years when I thought, ‘Oh, he better show up. If he forgets! But we never did,” Cindi said. “Without fail, we’ve both always shown up and had lunch without reminding each other of anything.”
The couple – who act more like a newlyweds than an old married couple – were as giddy as ever when Mark handed his love a bouquet of flowers before they sat down to enjoy their anniversary meal.
They got married on May 30, 1999, and McDonald’s even attended their wedding ceremony.
As a tribute to the place where they first met, the pastor at the altar used the Happy Meal anecdote to explain how they had spent the rest of their lives satisfying each other.
Cindi told DailyMail.com that when the pastor talked about all the fun they would have in the relationship, Mark pulled out a beenie toy, which was in the Happy Meal – which she still has to this day.
Mark had just moved to Wisconsin from Pennsylvania a few weeks before their first meeting. The lovebirds both ordered McDonald’s for lunch just a day after his birthday.
Cindi playfully told DailyMail.com, “I always joke that I was the best gift he ever had.”
Cindi told CBS 58 that although their Orders may change over the years, their love for each other has been and continues to grow stronger.
The happy couple – photographed after years of marriage. They’ve made it a tradition to always go back to the same McDonald’s to celebrate the first day they looked each other in the eye
The McDonald’s on Green Bay Road, in Racine, Wisconsin
The couple – who act more like a newlyweds than an old married couple – were as giddy as ever when Mark handed his love a bouquet of flowers before they sat down to enjoy their anniversary meal.
Mark and Cindi pictured in a family photo. The couple has been married for 27 years
Mark repeated the story of how he met his blushing bride.
He said that on February 9, 1996, Cindi stood next to him in line and he was immediately impressed by her beauty.
Cindi said she normally goes through the drive-thru, but remembered the line for miles and decided to walk in and personally order her food. On the same line, also waiting to place an order, was Mark.
He recalled, “She said ‘Hello’ and then followed up the greeting with a smile.
“I was like ‘man…wow… she’s beautiful,'” Mark said. “I need to talk to her.”
Cindi eventually left the restaurant and Mark took his order and followed her. He was determined to see her again.
“Wherever she goes, I’m going to follow her,” he said. “I don’t care if she goes to Chicago, Milwaukee. Wherever she stops, all I have to do is stop and talk to her.”
The couple got married three years after first meeting in line at McDonald’s
Cindi laughed, “Some people swipe right. We just went to get fast food’
Footage from their wedding day in the 1990s
Mark finally caught up with Cindi, who was sitting in her parked car eating her Quarter Pounder and fries at a car wash. He approached her and startled her at first.
“I didn’t see it coming,” Cindi recalls. “I was like, ‘Oh my god, this guy. Serial killer? Don’t know. His amazing line, the first words ever spoken to me, were ‘Hello, remember?’
Finally, he asked her if she wanted to “go out sometime.”
Cindi wasn’t sure if Mark was joking and when they both discovered they’d never done anything like this before, they laughed, and then the pair exchanged numbers.
Mark joked that Cindi called him that night. He laughed, ‘She couldn’t wait.’
The rest is history.
Cindi laughed, “Some people swipe right. We only went for fast food.’
Mark added, “The older we get, the more we laugh, the more fun we have.”
They hope their love story will help inspire others.
‘Involvement works. Relationships work if you work at them,” Mark said. “If you put in the effort and choose to make it work.”