Big Mac meets Homo Sowjeticus!




On January 31, 1990, the first "Mc Donalds" branch in the Soviet Union opened on Pushkin Prospect at Moscow!



The rush of Muscovites is tremendous!



They are dying to see the culinary flagship of the former “Glawnij Vrag” (= main enemy) with their own eyes and to try it with their own taste buds – although when you look closely, the prices are far beyond what the average Russian can afford!









In the very early morning of January 31, 1990, more than 5,000 people gathered in front of the restaurant, waiting for it to open.





By the end of that first day, McDonald's will be serving more than 30,000 customers!




A unique world record in the company history of "Mc Donalds"...



By 2022, the fast food group was firmly established in Russia with around 850 branches and 62,000 employees nationwide - and had even Russified their company logo in the meantime...:





Nevertheless, the engagement of the US hamburger giant in Russia remained an episode!

On May 16, 2022, "Mc Donalds" ended all business activities in Russia due to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, after business operations had already ceased on March 8 - not entirely voluntarily, as we know today...:



The pressure exerted by the US government on the group played a role in the decision, as did the fear of being publicly denounced in Hamburger's homeland and losing many customers there!

The former Russian branches of Mc Donalds have since been continued under the name "Wkusno - i totschka" (= "Yummy - and Basta!") with a new logo from a Russian consortium...:





Practically nothing has changed in the range...:




Hmmmm - "lecker"...?