You probably know the Golden Arches But do you know the family behind the McDonald’s in Horizon West?
The location that opened in Waterleigh Village in late 2025 is operated by Oerther Foods Second Generation, a Central Florida family business with roots in McDonald’s that stretch back decades.
And this is not a story that started in Horizon West. It started generations ago.
Today, the Oerther family’s McDonald’s story includes some of Central Florida’s most recognizable locations, a family business passed from father to son, and now a third generation carrying that legacy into Horizon West.
It Started With Gary Oerther
The family’s McDonald’s story begins with Gary Oerther.
Gary grew up in Monroe, Michigan, and later built a career as a McDonald’s Owner/Operator. His entrepreneurial path eventually brought the family to Florida, where the Oerther name became closely tied to McDonald’s restaurants throughout the Orlando area.
The West Orange Chamber of Commerce describes the family story as beginning when Cody Oerther’s grandfather moved to Florida from Ohio and began his journey with McDonald’s, later followed by his son and eventually his grandson.
Over the years, Gary became known not simply for operating McDonald’s restaurants, but for thinking bigger about what those restaurants could be.
The best example sits on International Drive. Yes, THAT Giant McDonald’s Is Part of the Family Story.
The World’s Largest McDonald’s
If you have lived in Orlando for any length of time, there is a good chance you know the enormous McDonald’s near International Drive and Sand Lake Road.
The restaurant originally opened in 1976 and became one of Orlando’s more unusual attractions, eventually earning recognition as the World’s Largest Entertainment McDonald’s. By 2015, the location had served more than 30 million customers.
For years, it was easy to recognize from its giant French-fry-box design.
But Gary had a bigger vision for it.
In 2015, Oerther Foods and McDonald’s announced plans to completely rebuild the iconic restaurant. The new nearly 19,000-square-foot location was designed to offer much more than the standard McDonald’s experience, including unique menu offerings, an open kitchen, entertainment and updated technology.
At the time, Orange County officials specifically credited Gary Oerther’s vision and the Oerther family’s commitment to both McDonald’s and the Central Florida community.
That restaurant remains one of the most recognizable McDonald’s locations in the Orlando area.
And it also represents an important moment in the Oerther family story.
The next generation was already stepping forward.
The Second Generation: Gregg and Dorothy Oerther
Gary’s son, Gregg Oerther, followed his father into the McDonald’s business.
When the International Drive restaurant was being rebuilt, Gregg described the project as a dream his father had held for years and said he was proud to help bring the next generation of the famous location to life.
In 2003, Oerther Foods Second Generation, Inc. was established in Florida.
Today, state corporate records list Gregg Oerther as CEO and President and Dorothy Oerther as Vice President and Secretary of the company.
Oerther Foods Second Generation describes itself as a locally owned and operated company led by Gregg and Dorothy, operating multiple McDonald’s restaurants in the Orlando area.
So while the McDonald’s name is obviously global, the restaurants operated by the Oerthers have a very local ownership story behind them.
And now that story has entered another generation.
Now Comes the Third Generation
When Horizon West’s McDonald’s celebrated its opening, the West Orange Chamber highlighted Cody Oerther as the third generation continuing the family tradition.
His grandfather started the family’s McDonald’s journey.
His father continued it.
And now Cody is carrying that legacy forward with a focus on community, family and creating positive experiences for customers.
The West Orange Chamber currently lists Cody Oerther as the General Manager connected with the Horizon West location, while other members of the Oerther family, including Travis Oerther, are also involved with the company.
That makes the McDonald’s in Waterleigh Village more than a brand-new restaurant.
It is the newest chapter in a family business that has been connected to the Golden Arches for generations.
Bringing the Family Legacy to Horizon West
The Horizon West McDonald’s opened in December 2025 at:
16030 Solaire St.
Winter Garden, FL 34787
The restaurant is located in Waterleigh Village and is open 24 hours a day. It offers drive-thru service, mobile ordering, McDelivery and in-store kiosks.
For a fast-growing community like Horizon West, the opening might have looked like another familiar national restaurant arriving in the neighborhood.
But behind that familiar sign is a Central Florida family whose connection to McDonald’s goes back generations.
More Than a Franchise
That distinction matters.
A franchise restaurant can look exactly like every other location from the outside while still having a local family behind the day-to-day operation.
For the Oerthers, McDonald’s has been a family business through multiple generations.
It has meant operating restaurants, employing hundreds of Central Floridians and growing alongside Orlando itself.
Oerther Foods Second Generation says its operation includes hundreds of employees across its Orlando-area restaurants.
And the family’s history in the area goes back far enough that one of its restaurants has watched International Drive transform from a much smaller tourism corridor into one of the busiest destinations in the country.
That kind of longevity is unusual in any business.
A Legacy Built Around Family
Gary Oerther died in 2016 following a battle with cancer.
His obituary remembered him as an entrepreneur who loved his family, his work and life itself. He was survived by his wife Jeanie, sons Gregg and Jon, daughter Kim, eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Among the messages left in his memory was one from his grandson Cody, who described Gary as his role model and expressed pride in carrying the Oerther name.
Years later, that same grandson is now part of the next generation continuing the family business.
That may be the most meaningful part of the story.
A company called Oerther Foods Second Generation has now reached its third.
The Golden Arches, With a Horizon West Connection
Horizon West is full of businesses with stories hiding behind familiar storefronts.
The McDonald’s in Waterleigh Village is one of them.
Behind the drive-thru, Happy Meals and morning coffee runs is a family whose history with McDonald’s stretches across decades and multiple generations.
Gary helped build the foundation.
Gregg and Dorothy carried it forward.
And now Cody and the next generation are bringing the Oerther family legacy into Horizon West.
So the next time you pull into the McDonald’s on Solaire Street, you’re not just visiting another location of one of the world’s biggest brands.
You’re visiting the newest chapter of a Central Florida family business.
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