Russia's McDonald's Reopens as Local Brand... Crowds Despite Taste Controversy

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Since McDonald's announced its withdrawal from Russia last March, the McDonald's stores in Russia that had been closed have reopened under a local brand. Although some of the original McDonald's menu items have been removed and there are controversies over the different taste, it is reported that long lines have formed at the stores from the moment they opened, creating a huge crowd.

According to CNN on the 12th (local time), 15 McDonald's stores in Moscow and nearby areas reopened under a new brand name. The new name of McDonald's stores in Russia is "Vkusno i tochka (Вкусно и точка)," which means "Delicious, period" in Russian. At the Pushkin Square branch in downtown Moscow, where the opening event was held, hundreds of people gathered right after the opening, creating a huge crowd.

At the reopened McDonald's stores, menu items directly associated with the McDonald's brand such as Big Mac and McFlurry were removed, but the original hamburgers, French fries, and nuggets were retained. The company announced plans to release substitutes for Big Mac and McFlurry in the near future. The company stated that 15 stores, including the Pushkin Square branch in Moscow, have opened, and they plan to open about 200 stores across Russia by the end of this month and all 850 existing stores by autumn.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Earlier, after McDonald's announced its withdrawal from Russia last March, the Russian government transferred the business rights to Alexander Govor, a mining businessman in Siberia. He took over the McDonald's business rights on the condition that he would retain the employment of about 62,000 employees who were previously employed by McDonald's in Russia. The exact sale price and personal details have not been disclosed.

Within Russia, harsh criticisms regarding the menu and taste have been pouring in through social networking services (SNS). Regarding the new logo, posts mocking it as "a mix of the Marriott Hotel logo and the Bangladesh flag" have spread. At the opening event at the Pushkin Square branch, a Russian man held a sign saying "Bring back the Big Mac" and protested but was stopped by the police.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.