McDonald's in Russia

Background The 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow was to be open to Western tourists, but the city had no fast food establishments to serve visitors. The Associated Press reported that "this means meals will be taken in proper Moscow restaurants. Dinner or lunch can take hours and the service and food vary widely." Beginning in 1976, McDonald's of Canada attempted to open two portable restaurants during the Games, near Luzhniki Stadium, the primary venue. Despite criticism of the chain in Soviet magazine The New Times, the plan was nearly finalized with the Moscow Olympic Organizing Committee. By 1997, there were 21 locations of the Russian chain. Cohon visited the country frequently, with eight visits in 1997. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exterior renovation was not completed until 2021. ==Impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine==

Suspension of operations On 8 March 2022, McDonald's announced that it would be temporarily suspending operations due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a result, it had halted operations of roughly 850 restaurants in Russia. At the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, McDonald's had over 800 restaurants across Russia with a total of 62,000 employees, "hundreds" of suppliers, and millions of daily customers. Following pressure on social media, McDonald's announced on 8 March that it was temporarily suspending its operations in Russia while it would continue to pay its employees based in Russia. In Russia, the Ronald McDonald House Charities was originally meant to remain active. On 16 May 2022, after temporarily closing its restaurants, the company decided to exit Russia altogether. On 27 May 2022, it was reported that McDonald's was selling its stores in Russia to a local licensee, Alexander Govor. Patent filings showed "Fun and Tasty" and "The Same One" as potential brand names for the firm taking over. Shortly after the announcement, McDonald's branding was removed and a new logo was introduced. Shutdown, replacement and aftermath On announcement of closure, Duma state speaker Vyacheslav Volodin was quoted as saying "McDonald's announced that they are closing. Well, good, close down! Tomorrow there won't be McDonald's, but Uncle Vanya's." A trademark was filed under that name, using the Golden Arches on their side with a line. Alexander Govor replaced the brand with Vkusno i tochka ("Simply Delicious"). The restaurants offer replacements for all menu items, but most are rebranded. In November 2022, McDonald's announced that due to "extensive local supply issues" its licensee in neighbouring Belarus would stop operating under its name, and the restaurants were rebranded as Vkusno i tochka. On 1 December 2022, the last nine Russian McDonald's restaurants at train stations and airports in St. Petersburg and Moscow closed. ==References==