ROSEVILLE, Calif. — A McDonald’s-themed wedding next month? A couple who met while working together at one of the company’s former restaurants in Roseville is lovin’ it.
Abigail Armienta and Joseph Gomez, both 26, first met in September 2016 working together at the McDonald’s in the Roseville Galleria, the couple told ABC10 Thursday.
Their coworkers thought they were compatible and decided to organize a team bonding outside of work, but it was a setup, the couple said. No other coworkers showed up, so Armienta and Gomez found themselves watching 2017’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming” together.
“I knew before I showed up to the movie theaters,” Gomez said. “I texted one of our coworkers, and I was like, ‘Hey, when are you going over there?’ Because I think he was off that day. He was like, ‘No, it's just you two... we set you guys up.’”
Gomez said once he realized it was just going to be the two of them, he thought the right thing to do was to pay for the ticket regardless of whether it ended up being considered a date or not.
“I went to go pay for my ticket, and he was like, ‘No, I got it,’” Armienta said.
Fast forward six years: the couple got engaged Nov. 25, 2023. They plan to get married in Sacramento come September.
Their wedding and reception will feature a welcome sign with golden arches adorned with photos of the couple, Armienta said. Many former employees and their supervisor are coming to the ceremony, and some former coworkers will be at the bridal shower.
Cheeseburgers and apple pies will also be served late into the celebration.
More than a happy wedding meal
Armienta and Gomez are both still based in Roseville.
Armienta now works in education, and Gomez is a construction project manager. The McDonald’s location they met at has since closed, according to Ally Johnson, a company representative.
“I don't think we'd be here without McDonald's,” Armienta said. “Our first job is kind of a memorable one, but also they made it super important because they helped us not only with figuring out next steps for education but also our careers.”
Crystal Almeida, formerly the couple’s general manager and now a McDonald’s-area supervisor, said she likes to think of herself as Abby and Joseph’s matchmaker.
“They shared the same values and had similar upbringings, and I felt they were truly made for each other,” Almeida said. “When they started dating, I joked that I better be invited to the wedding, and now I’m delighted to say I am. I couldn’t be happier for them. It’s a true McLove story.”
Jordan Ruiz, the owner and operator of the couple’s McDonald’s store and others in the area, said he treats every employee like family.
“That’s why Abby and Joseph’s wedding feels like one of our own family members is getting married,” Ruiz said. “It’s a big deal for our community and this occasion is so meaningful. We could not be more happy for them and we are so excited to celebrate their special day.”
Gomez said McDonald’s helped pay for both of their textbooks during school, and his fiancée was able to obtain scholarships.
“I know part of it is advertising, but part of it too is that we're really thankful for the opportunities that they gave us,” Gomez said. "And, I'm really thankful because I wouldn't have met the person that we're going to spend the rest of my life with if I didn't work at McDonald's.”
