Russia McDonalds: when did fast food chain equivalent open, what is it called and new logo explained

Russia has said goodbye to McDonald’s iconic golden arch.

The fast food chain’s Russian equivalent opened its doors on 13 June, with a new name, logo and menu.

The former US food giant had operated in Russia for the last three decades but has pulled out of the region.

McDonald’s opening its first restaurant in January 1990 was seen as a defining moment at the end of the Cold War.

The US fast food giant confirmed it would be leaving Russia in May, citing the “humanitarian crisis” and “unpredictable operating environment” caused by the war in Ukraine.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new Russian equivalent to McDonalds.

When did Russia’s new version of McDonald’s open?

On Sunday (12 June), 15 of the rebranded fast food restaurants opened their doors in Moscow.

A further 150 restaurants are set to open across the country by the end of June.

McDonald’s has operated 850 restaurants in Russia, but it has not been announced when all former premises will open.

The grand opening took place on Moscow’s Pushkin Square, with the chain being a mirror image of the former US chain.

The menu remains the same, with Chief Executive of Vkusno & tochka, Oleg Paroev explaining: “Our goal is that our guests do not notice a difference either in quality or ambience.”

What is the name of McDonald’s in Russia?

The chain has undergone a rebrand, complete with a new name.

McDonalds is now called Vkusno & tochka which translates to “Tasty and that’s it”.

The franchise also plans to change menu options, with Fillet-O-Fish becoming Fish Burger and Royal Burgers being changed to Grand.

What is its new logo?

The new franchise released its logo in the run up to its grand re-opening.

The design features a green background with a red circle and two orange lines, which are said to depict a burger and fries.

A spokesperson for Sistema PBO told TASS: “The green background of the logo symbolises the quality of products and service that our guests are accustomed to.”

They also confirmed that the fast food equivalent would be launching an advertising campaign with the new logo, even though they have not yet confirmed a name.

Who has taken over McDonald’s in Russia?

The franchise has been bought over by Siberian businessman Alexander Govor who operated 25 of the fast food restaurants prior to the war in Ukraine.

According to state-run TASS news agency, a spokesperson confirmed that the corporate name has been changed to Sistema PBO.

Why did McDonalds leave Russia?

McDonald’s ceased operations in Russia in March after the country invaded Ukraine.

The franchise had been trading in Russia for three decades, with its expansion into the country in 1990 marking a turning point in the Cold War.

In May, it announced that it was leaving the country due to the "humanitarian crisis" and "unpredictable operating environment" caused by the war in Ukraine.

The company sold all of its 850 fast food restaurants to a Siberian business partner.

Since the war, nearly 1,000 international businesses have left Russia, with McDonald’s being one of the most high-profile, due to its historic representation of the west.

Other brands that have pulled out of Russia or ceased trading include: Zara, Starbucks, Apple, Coca Cola, PayPal, Tik Tok, Prada and KFC.