How This Former Palengke Vendor Rose to Become a Top Exec in McDonald's USA

Myra Doria, a native of Minalin, Pampanga, has been a proud employee at McDonald's for 40 years. She is presently the National Field President at McDonald's USA overseeing a vast network of 14,000 McDonald's stores, 1,800 franchisees, and over 500 company staff.

How she "broke the bamboo ceiling," as she put it—becoming the first Asian to serve as Senior Vice President at McDonald's USA—is an inspiring story of how perseverance and people-centric leadership enable a Filipina to excel in a male-dominated industry in a foreign country.

Doria was the keynote speaker at a nationwide conference for McDonald's employees in the Philippines, held in February. In her speech, she talked about her personal journey from being a palengke vendor in Guagua, Pampanga, to reaching the McDonald's C-suite in the U.S., and shared the invaluable lessons she learned along the way.

Myra Doria (left) shares a discussion with McDonald's Philippines Managing Director, Margot Torres, at the recent "Running Great Restaurants (RGR)" summit.

Childhood Hustle

"My story did not begin in a McDonald's restaurant. It started in a flea market, in a palengke in Guagua, Pampanga," she began her speech. During the Christmas season, she would join her cousin in selling clothes and shoes in the flea market. "As you might expect, for a ten-year-old at that time, it wasn't my favorite thing to do. I did not want to sell clothes and shoes in the flea market. I wanted to play with my friends in the neighborhood. But as the eldest of six children, I had the responsibility to help and support my family. I had to earn a little bit of money."

That palengke experience, she realized later in life, gave her a crash course in business. "First, I learned the importance of being customer-focused. In the palengke, your competitor is right beside you. It's very competitive, and the best way to compete is to stand out to the customers," she said.

At 10, she also learned to be innovative. "I needed to come up with ways to attract customers and bring them in. I would create promotions and display the items in our store. I even wore the clothes I was selling, like a model," she shared. "I also fell in love with the idea of anticipating customer clothing needs and then delivering an exceptional customer experience to keep them coming back."

Another important lesson she learned was setting goals. "I can remember every morning when my cousin would give me a sales target to remain in business. I had to hit that target every single day because that's the only way to survive," she remembered.

That experience not only developed her interest in business but also sparked her passion for shoes. "I love my shoes. I have 300 pairs of shoes," she proudly told the conference audience. "I used to have only two pairs when I was growing up, and the insoles were repaired every year. I told myself that someday I would have many pairs of shoes."

You could say that her love for shoes became a motivation for Doria to excel when she applied for her first job.

Doria (top right) in 1985 during her early days as a manager trainee at a McDonald's branch in Dau, Pampanga.

Manager in Training

After graduating from college, Doria was treated by her mother to a McDonald's meal, complete with a hot fudge sundae. Unbeknown to her, her mother had asked for a job application on her behalf. "Surprisingly, I got interviewed on the spot that day," he recalled. Eleven interviews later, Doria started her management training program at McDonald's in Dau, Pampanga on April 1st, 1985.

"I will never forget how much I was paid back then. It was 2,000 pesos a month. Every 15th of the month, my mom would come and get the 1,000 pesos. Then I would use the other 1000 pesos to pay the rent and buy shoes," she fondly recalled.

She rose through the ranks at McDonald's until she became a general manager. "Simply put, I was completely comfortable in the pairs of shoes I was wearing," she reflected, referring to her confidence and adaptability in performing various roles.

Doria participating in a panel discussion at McDonald's USA's annual convention.

Finding Her Seat

The first big change she had to adapt to was moving to the U.S. in 1988 after getting married. "I always wanted to start a family and someday go to the United States. So when I got married, I had to be with my husband, Erwin, who was in the U.S. Navy and stationed in Guam. That started another chapter of change in my life," she related.

Starting out at McDonald's in the U.S. was not a walk in the park. "For the first time in my career, there were moments when I was in a meeting and nobody looked like me. No women in the meeting room. Often, it was only white men. There was no chair for me, even though I was part of the meeting. So I had to get a chair from outside the room, drag it inside, and insert myself to be part of the table. Do you know how uncomfortable that is?" she said.

"But I've learned to have the courage to be assertive and to create my own seat at the table, to bring my own voice and my own perspective, including my own accent, which I know will never change."

Looking back, she realized that these challenges ultimately shaped her into a better leader. "I'd be lying to you if I told you the transition was smooth and painless. There were times I wanted to give up and go back home. But I stuck with it. I slowly let go of my old pairs of shoes and embraced my new pair. And thank God I did. I found a job and a home with McDonald's USA."

She kept moving up the ranks to bigger and better roles. She started as a business consultant, became a field vice president, and then a zone president. In 2023, she became the National Field President of McDonald's USA.

In this Q&A, Doria dispensed some tips she would like to share with aspiring leaders about the value of empowerment, embracing risks, staying true to oneself, and realizing visions through impactful collaboration.

Being the National Field President of McDonald's USA is no small feat. How do you excel in such a demanding role?

You have to surround yourself with great people. I always start with the 10 field vice presidents who are leading the 10 field offices. They, in turn, have operations officers, directors, and franchise business partners (FBP) working alongside them. It always starts with having the best talent because if I didn't have the best talent today, I wouldn't be able to do my job. We have a vision. We have a purpose. My role is to empower them to do their job and remove any barriers they might face.

When I became responsible for the entire U.S. system, I also had to change our ways of working. McDonald's has a busy work culture; we always want to stay productive. But now we focus only on doing initiatives that are timely and impactful. It's still a work in progress though. We have a gatekeeping mechanism to ensure that new ideas align with our current goals.

Our company culture encourages "stealing and sharing" solutions. Instead of starting from scratch, we find solutions that already exist within our franchise system. We've implemented "max growth" sessions where franchises collaborate to drive business performance by sharing best practices. Those are a few things that I do to avoid feeling overwhelmed at work.

Doria (far right) being greeted during a visit to a McDonald's s USA restaurant.

You talked about accent in your speech. How has your unique cultural background influenced your leadership role in the U.S.?

I'm very proud [of my Filipino accent]. I shared in one of my interviews that many things can change—I can change my job and my responsibilities at McDonald's. But the one thing I will never change is my accent because I love it. It's beautiful and it's who I am; it's an integral part of my identity.

What I've learned is that you can change many things. You can change the way you lead. You can change strategies and join different leadership teams. But one thing I've never changed is always valuing the people around you. Ensure they're successful, be clear on your expectations, and support them in achieving their aspirations. I've been successful today because of the people who have helped me along the way.

Doria (second from left) was the guest speaker at the 2025 McDonald's Philippines Running Great Restaurants Summit. 

How did your stint at McDonald's Philippines help shape you into the leader you are now at McDonald's USA?

I've made several mistakes along the way in my career at McDonald's. There was a time when I was working for George [Yang] and focused entirely on profitability and ensuring the company made money. Looking back, I was very short-sighted. I wanted to deliver the results they expected every month. But I realized that it's also important to think of the long-term for the business. Now, I look at things differently, considering the impact on the next three to five years, more than just today.

You're celebrating 40 years with McDonald's. What has kept you motivated and passionate throughout the decades?

My love for the brand. My confidence and my optimism with McDonald's has never changed; it's actually gotten better and better. You're part of one of the most admired brands in the world. I'm so proud of our "1 in 8" campaign today. [This highlights the fact that one out of every eight Americans has worked at a McDonald's restaurant, emphasizing the company's role as a significant employer and a launchpad for careers.] And my purpose in the last several years now is to develop as many, many great leaders for the company. I dedicate 50 percent of my time to mentorship for their improvement.

You've overcome numerous barriers to reach your current position. How do you define empowerment, and what does it mean to you personally?

I always say I broke the bamboo ceiling when I became a National Field President because I think I'm the first Senior Vice President in the U.S. of Asian descent. For me, it's more than just the position; it's about inspiring others to believe they can do it.

I am where I am today because someone empowered me. I have a voice at the table because there are people who support me in everything I need to do. That is what I strive to provide my team as well. But how they get there is for them to own. Empower your people to believe in themselves. That even if they fail, you'll be there to support them. But they will need to stand up, dust themselves off, and move forward.

Women empowerment is a big deal for us at McDonald's. Even in terms of pay, we achieved gender pay parity a year ago. This is a significant accomplishment for McDonald's globally. Empowerment, for me, is a responsibility we have within our teams and among the leaders we collaborate with.

Doria delivering opening remarks at the annual McDonald's USA convention.

Women face unique obstacles in their career progression. What advice would you give to young women who aspire to achieve similar heights in their careers?

First, know what you want. If you don't know what you want, you'll never get there. I shared a story about my husband, who, for many years, gave me flowers. The thing is, I don't like flowers; I like shoes. It wasn't until I told him that I don't like flowers that he started giving me shoes. So my advice to young people: know what you want.

Number two, take risks. When you're young, it's perfectly okay to change jobs and explore different paths. I regret not pushing myself to seize the opportunity to go into the Asia Pacific region when I had the chance. I stayed in the U.S. after the Philippines. My advice for young people, especially women, is to go out there and explore the world. Seize every opportunity while you're young.

Third, don’t feel like you’re second best. You have a seat at the table, and you are empowered, just like everyone else around you. Be respectful, assert yourself, contribute, and you’ll succeed.

Lastly, dream big and don't let anyone shatter your dreams. The only person who can tell you that you can't is yourself, and that's only if you've given up. So, follow your dreams, empower yourself, take some risks, and have a clear vision of where you want to go.

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Any tips for entrepreneurs looking to successfully scale their food businesses?

The first thing I always tell franchisees is that when you own a business, your people are the most important asset. You must invest in their development. If you don't enjoy working with and nurturing people, this isn't the right business for you.

Second, you need the ability to understand data and customer insights. In today's digital space, we have access to a vast amount of third-party data. Make use of those.

Third, be willing to take risks, because nothing is given for free. Everything in life involves change, so embrace it. Embrace the world and the changes happening with both your customers and your people.

Lastly, think long-term. You need to consider the long-term implications of your business decisions, as they can build upon or impact your business in the future.