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Tasty name but no Big Mac: Russia opens rebranded McDonald's restaurants

Published 06/12/2022, 03:34 AM
Updated 06/13/2022, 04:18 AM
© Reuters. Employees take part in preparations before the opening of a new restaurant, following McDonald's Corp company's decision to sell its restaurants in Russia to one of its local licensees that will rebrand them under a new name, in Moscow, Russia June 12, 20

© Reuters. Employees take part in preparations before the opening of a new restaurant, following McDonald's Corp company's decision to sell its restaurants in Russia to one of its local licensees that will rebrand them under a new name, in Moscow, Russia June 12, 20

(Reuters) - It might look and smell like McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) but now it's Vkusno & tochka. The golden arches are gone, the Filet-O-Fish is simply a fish burger. The Big Mac has left Russia.

A new era for Russia's fast-food and economic scene dawned on Sunday, as McDonald's restaurants flung open their doors in Moscow under new Russian ownership and with the new name, which translates as "Tasty and that's it".

The unveiling of the rebranded outlets, more than three decades after the American burger giant first opened its doors in Moscow in a symbolic thaw between East and West, is once again a stark sign of a new world order. The reopenings took place on Russia Day, a holiday celebrating national pride.

The fortunes of the chain, which McDonald's sold when it exited the country over the conflict in Ukraine, could provide a test of how successfully Russia's economy can become more self-sufficient and withstand Western sanctions.

On Sunday, scores of people queued outside what was formerly McDonald's flagship restaurant in Pushkin Square, central Moscow. The outlet sported a new logo - a stylised burger with two fries - plus a slogan: "The name changes, love stays".

The queue was significantly smaller than the thousands of people who flocked to the original McDonald's opening there in 1990 during the Soviet era.

"We need to avoid a drop in quality, so that everything stays as it was before, because we loved McDonald's," said IT worker Sardana Donskaya, who queued up 32 years ago for a first taste of a brand that had epitomised Western capitalism and returned on Sunday to usher in its successor.

Vkusno & tochka's menu was smaller and did not offer the Big Mac and some other burgers and desserts, such as the McFlurry. A double cheeseburger was going for 129 roubles ($2.31) compared with roughly 160 under McDonald's and a fish burger for 169 roubles, compared with about 190 previously.

The composition of burgers has not changed and the equipment from McDonald's has remained, said Alexander Merkulov, quality manager at the new company.

McDonald's closed its Russian restaurants in March and said in mid-May that it had decided to leave the country altogether, one of the most high-profile business departures since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

In a sign of the haste the new owners have had to rebrand in time for the launch, much of the packaging for fries and burgers was plain white, as were drink cups, while takeaway bags were plain brown. The old McDonald's logo on packets of ketchup and other sauces were covered over with makeshift black markings.

Sergei, a 15-year-old customer, saw little difference though.

"The taste has stayed the same," he said as he tucked into a chicken burger and fries. "The cola is different, but there really is no change to the burger."

BETTER THAN A BIG MAC?

The flagship Moscow restaurant is among 15 rebranded outlets opening in and around the capital on Sunday. Oleg Paroev, CEO of Vkusno & tochka, said the company planned to reopen 200 restaurants in Russia by the end of June and all 850 by the end of the summer. See FACTBOX:

"For three months we did not work," said Ruzanna, manager of a Moscow branch due to open in July. "Everyone is very pleased."

The chain will keep its old McDonald's interior but will expunge any references to its former name, said Paroev, who was appointed McDonald's Russia CEO weeks before the Ukraine conflict began.

"Our goal is that our guests do not notice a difference either in quality or ambience," Paroev told a news conference in the restaurant.

Siberian businessman Alexander Govor, the new owner of the business, told Reuters that it would look to launch something similar to McDonald's signature Big Mac.

"We don't have the right to use some colours, we don't have the right to use the golden arches, we don't have the right to use any mention of McDonald's," he told Reuters.

"The Big Mac is the story of McDonald's. We will definitely do something similar," he said. "We will try to do something even better so that our visitors and guests like this dish."

CEO Paroev added the company was looking for new suppliers of soft drinks as it runs down some stocks of Coca Cola, which is suspending its sales in Russia. Paroev said all but 2% of the chain's ingredients are sourced within Russia.

Not everyone was impressed.

Moments after the news conference, a man stood up in front of the cameras holding a sign that read "Bring back the Big Mac". He was swiftly escorted out by restaurant staff.

NEW OWNER: I PAID SYMBOLIC SUM

Govor is one of many Russians snapping up assets as hundreds of Western firms flee. He said on Sunday that he paid a "symbolic" figure "far lower than market price" for McDonald's Russia. McDonald's, the world's largest burger chain, took a charge of up to $1.4 billion following the sale.

Russian authorities have said the U.S. group has the right to buy back its restaurants within 15 years - though Govor poured cold water on that possibility.

© Reuters. Employees take part in preparations before the opening of a new restaurant, following McDonald's Corp company's decision to sell its restaurants in Russia to one of its local licensees that will rebrand them under a new name, in Moscow, Russia June 12, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

"They made it clear to me that they would not buy back," Interfax quoted him as saying.

McDonald's, which has said that Govor will retain the chain's tens of thousands of employees for at least two years, was not immediately available to comment further about the terms of the sale or its future Russian intentions.

Latest comments

When your IQ is below 80 and you cant invent anything then steal thats the russian motto
He just captured instant marketshare and customer base from nothing. Seems pretty smart to me. In fact, you'd have to have a sub 50 IQ to think otherwise.
Piss off russians
Superb. Ain't difficult to a burger. Now that Russians are trained to make and eat themselves.
This is the way to go. Take care of your own people first before taking care of others. I never understood why the US could never do this. We more homeless people in the world when it comes to supposedly having the strongest values and economy but we always turn our backs on the mental and drug issues that are pouring into our streets thats not including prostitution and human trafficking.
Because our leaders hate us and only care about themselves.
Whole country is a joke, level of coorruption is turning people into slaves
You must be referring to America.
Does the new company have its own stock?
We got em... we are swimming. No big Mac. this should make them scared!
✨Putin's Pizza✨Ha ha..
Why is this news?
they shall build the wall again but 10m higher.... and **** themselves behind.... I had the illusion Russia was changing.... nothing changed just time elapsed...for nothing
Russia will be a better place now....
Russia will be a better place now....
Russia will be a better place now....
I 100% blame the Biden family for what is happening in the Ukraine due to Biden's lack of diplomacy toward Russia and Biden's belligerent and bullying words toward Putin pre election calling Putin a Murderous Thug over and over.  He did not care about the result he just would say anything to rally his side and get elected.  He road on the coattails of the fake Dossier and Russia Russia Russia thing.  Well, congratulations Mr Biden.   Thousands dead, millions displaced and so many will now starve.
Russia will be a better place now...
So, your justification for Putin's atrocities is that Biden hurt his feelings? Thanks for that insight, I had no idea Putin is such a snowflake.
Under President Trump we had peace with Russia and millions of people lived very nicely in the Ukraine.  Biden started calling Putin a Murderous thug and bullying Putin during the Presidential debates in 2020  and now thousands are dead in the Ukraine, millions are displaced and a million or more will die of starvation across Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia.  Well, Joe got what he wanted, he is the President.  All the Democrats can do is perpetuate the misconception that President Trump was conspiring somehow with Russia and using a bought and paid for by the Clinton Campaign a fake Dossier.  Many of the Biden voters are oblivious to what they have done in electing this guy Biden.
It’s not just Biden calling names it’s that All the world dictators know that Biden will only go as far as politics dictate to stand up to them—-with strongly phrased rebukes and no actual military action. Putin took advantage of this and did what he wanted to do. He did this several times crimea Georgia etc—-but would never had done have done while trump in office
Biden hurt Putin's feelings so he attacked Ukraine? Another know-nothing kook.
how on earth is this news. who gives a f
McDonald's Is truly awful. should be shut
Replace 1 garbage food for a another .
It's the CIA's covert plan to bring Russia to it's knees.
Starve them of burgers?? The Russians have to thank them.
"tasty and that's it". wow, master marketers in Russia🙄
Evil Mac food gone. Latest research shows non-vegetarian food, milk products are harmful for body and frequent dining of these may create blockage in arteries and veins, because these items are not recognised by digestive responses. So Boycott MacDonald worldwide.
Nothing more than Corecom...
if you believe the taste is the same, I have a bridge to sell you.
McDonald's is disgusting. I hope they don't recreate the taste and quality.
 for tomatoes, lettuce of course...Dunno if Russia was importing the big ingredients from an European Warehouse...When i was working at Macdonalds in Portugal the french fries were from France so take your conclusions...
Yea, of course it is fine in EU, but most of the ingredients used in MC Russia are local. Except for Big Tasty sauce, as I know. Maybe there are some other exceptions, but nothing critical. They don't serve Big Tasty anymore anyway
"Nasty and that's it."
the funny while 80% of world countries give a f about sanctioning russia ...woke and liberal countries banrupt themself to have not bad pr.....enjoy the layoffs
let's be honest, with russian track record, reality is gonna be *******
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