VIDALIA &045; Cars drove by honking horns, daycare children screamed and Ronald McDonald in the flesh made an appearance at Tuesday morning’s McDonald’s restaurant groundbreaking.

For a small town deprived of nearby Big Macs for almost 10 months, the excitement is building.

&uot;Everybody is about to have a fit because they are coming back,&uot; resident and Chamber of Commerce leader Sheri Rabb said. &uot;I have twin boys and this is their breakfast. Every morning they ask ‘Can we go to Natchez,’ but we don’t have time for that.&uot;

Rabb joined a group of about 30 residents, alderman, business leaders and McDonald’s officials for the groundbreaking.

McDonald’s was the first fast food chain restaurant to come to Vidalia, Rabb and those gathered remembered.

&uot;I just want to say how much we appreciate McDonald’s coming back,&uot; Alderwoman Maureen &uot;Mo&uot; Saunders said.

New owner Gary Small said construction on the Carter Street site should begin this week. The first step is to remove the old concrete floor left when the previous restaurant burned.

Within a month, passersby should see major construction developments and Small is shooting for a mid-July opening date.

&uot;We can’t wait,&uot; Small said. &uot;It’s been way too long. We’re lovin’ it.&uot;

Small owns the three McDonald’s Restaurants in Natchez and finalized the purchase of the Vidalia franchise in February.

The former restaurant was destroyed by an early morning fire on July 4, 2004. The Vidalia Fire Department ruled the cause of fire undetermined.