Farewell to the golden arches, it’s a new version of McDonald’s which will open its doors on Sunday in Russia, when the American fast food chain left the country following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces.
Fifteen branches will open in and around Moscow under a new name and a new logo (two fries and a hamburger patty on a green background), but in the same premises, with the same staff and almost identical menus.
Some restaurants located at airports and train stations will, however, continue to operate under the American logo through special franchise agreements. McDonald’s, established for three decades in Russia, had until recently more than 62,000 employees across the territory.
Last month, McDonald’s announced that it was selling its establishments to one of its local licensees, Alexander Govor, following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and the wave of Western outrage and sanctions that followed.
The new owner who operated 25 McDonald’s restaurants said he plans to expand the new brand to 1,000 locations nationwide and reopen all of the chain’s restaurants within two months.
