Explained: All about Russia’s re-branded McDonald’s

McDonald’s in Russia

McDonald’s first entered Russia in 1990, with its first location opening on January 31 that year in Moscow’s Pushkin Square. The opening was a grand success with about 38,000 customers queuing up outside the store breaking the company’s all time record.

In the next seven years, the company opened 21 locations across Russia. By the time it decided to fold operations in May this year, it had about 62,000 employees across the country.

The Russian makeover

‘Vkusno i Tochka’ opened their first stores in and around Moscow’s Pushkin square, selling about 120,000 burgers on the first day, breaking records set by McDonald’s before leaving the country. The new chain has completely done away with McDonald’s packaging and colours, even changing the staff uniforms. However, most items on the menu remain similar to those served at McDonald’s, although with changed names. The menu, while lacking McDonald’s signature Big Mac and McFlurry, has other similar items. Some of the store’s burgers are — Grand De Luxe, Double Grand, Grandee, Chicken Premier, single or double fish burger. The store also serves wraps, desserts, fries, muffins, buns along with a wide variety of breakfasts, beverages and sauces.

While the menu is smaller when compared to McDonald’s, Grovor hopes to launch items similar to the Big Mac. He said: “The Big Mac is the story of McDonald’s. We will definitely do something similar…We will try to do something even better so that our visitors and guests like this dish.”

People lineup to visit a newly opened fast food restaurant in a former McDonald’s outlet in Bolshaya Bronnaya Street in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, June 12, 2022. The sign reads ‘The Name Changes, Love Remains’. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Can McDonald’s return?

While Russian authorities have stated that McDonald’s can buy back its business within 15 years, Grovor disagrees, claiming that the fast-food giant has no intention to do the same.

The rebranded firm aims to open about a 1000 locations across Russia in the four to five years, expanding from the 850 under McDonald’s.

The biggest challenge ‘Vkusno i Tochka’ faces is maintaining a steady flow of customers and matching the quality and experience of McDonald’s, with CEO Oleg Paroev stating: “Our goal is that our guests do not notice a difference either in quality or ambiance.”

Others who left Russia

McDonalds isn’t the only company that has stopped selling its goods in the country. Starbucks, Coca Cola, Mothercare, Heineken have stopped supplying to Russia and shut their stores in the country after the Ukraine invasion. Imperial Brands, which include companies like Davidoff Cigarettes and JPS, have also stopped production at their factories in the country, with British American Tobacco halting investment as well. Netflix and Levi’s too have stopped sales in the country.