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McDonald’s has reopened its doors under a new name in Russia after the fast food giant pulled out of the country over its invasion of Ukraine.
Fifteen branches in and around Moscow reopened on Sunday with their new name Vkusno & tochka, which translates as “Tasty and that’s it”.
Businessman Alexander Govor, who already owns 25 restaurants in Siberia, agreed to buy all 847 Russian McDonald’s outlets after the chain boycotted the country in early March.
He vowed to keep all their 62,000 employees on equivalent terms for at least two years.
On Sunday there were huge queues at the flagship restaurant in Moscow – the first to open in Russia 30 years ago – with locals hit by inflation as a result of sanctions desperate to get a cheap meal.
Outside policemen patrolled the crowds, while inside families chose their meals on the chain’s signature digital screens.
Chief executive Oleg Paroev said: “Our goal is that our guests do not notice a difference either in quality or ambience.”
He added that although prices remain “affordable”, amid unstable economic times in Russia, he could not guarantee that they would not go up in the near future.
The new logo, unveiled earlier this week, features a circle and two lines depicting a burger and French fries.
Still in search of soft drinks supplier
Owner Mr Govor said that he is still in search of a new soft drinks supplier after Coca-Cola joined the slew of businesses withdrawing from Russia.
Some 200 branches are due to have reopened in Russia by the end of June and all 847 by the end of the summer, the bosses said.
Owner Alexander Govor cuts the ribbon to open ‘Vkusno & tochka’
Many will see the reopening as a litmus test for whether the Russian economy can survive Western sanctions.
When the first outlet opened in Moscow three decades ago, it was seen as a major thawing of tensions between the USSR and the West.
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