Roger Canchola
Roger Mario Canchola moved from the chilly climate of Chicago to the warm deserts of Arizona in 1976, when his father, Jose L. Canchola, opened his first McDonald’s.
As a teenager, he worked all aspects of the family business. The work, paired with his father’s values, instilled in him a strong work ethic and a sense of responsibility to the local community.
He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1990 with a degree in business. Following in his father’s footsteps, Canchola became a franchisee of McDonald’s, and he now owns six restaurants across Tucson. In addition to running the restaurants, he serves on various committees with McDonald’s, including the Hispanic Owner Operators Association.
Canchola opened his sixth McDonald’s restaurant in a dying shopping mall, hoping to increase traffic in the area and stimulate activity for the other businesses. It was a $1 million investment by his company, Arcos de Oro, a Latino-owned McDonald’s franchise operation team that has been involved in Southern Arizona for over 40 years. The organization also hosts community gatherings as a way to give back.
Driven by his father’s dedication to the Tucson community, Canchola proudly supports various charitable organizations, including The Salvation Army, The Southern AZ Community Food Bank and Emerge! Center Against Domestic Violence. He also has supported various scholarship programs at UArizona, including in the athletics department. His father co-founded the Tucson Ronald McDonald House in 1981, and the organization remains dear in his heart.
When Canchola isn’t serving the community, he loves playing golf and spending time with his family: his three sons and two granddaughters.