McDonald's Returns to Russia Under Rebranded Name 'Vkusno i Tochka'
10:56 GMT 12.06.2022 (Updated: 17:15 GMT 12.06.2022)
© Sputnik / Alexey Filippov
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The first restaurant of the former McDonald's network opened under the rebranded name "Vkusno i Tochka" in the Russian capital city of Moscow on Sunday after three months of closure, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
"Vkusno i Tochka" translates from Russian as "Tasty. Period."
An employee gives an order to a customer in a joint of the newly opened fast food restaurant chain on Bolshaya Bronnaya Street in Moscow, Russia. The new chain of restaurants based on McDonald's is going to be called "Vkusno i tochka" ("Delicious and that's it!").
© Sputnik / Evgeny Odinokov
/ "I am happy to present our new name — Vkusno i Tochka," Oleg Paroev, the company's CEO, said during the opening ceremony.
The CEO noted that 15 restaurants have opened on Sunday in Moscow and 50 more will open doors on Monday. The company intends to launch up to 200 restaurants by the end of June and expand the network from 850 to 1,000 across Russia in the next five to six years. Moreover, Paroev said that many former franchisees of McDonald's in other Russian cities expressed the desire to join the new company and rebrand as well.
A boy walks past an ad board of a new fast-food chain on Malaya Bronnaya street, in Moscow, Russia. The new chain of restaurants based on McDonald's is going to be called "Vkusno i tochka" ("Delicious and that's it!")
© Sputnik / Alexey Filippov
/ The company is also planning to spend about 7 billion rubles ($12.1 million) in investments for the development of the network by the end of the year.
Paroev said that not all items from the original menu will be available to visitors at first since the company rebranded in record time and still faces some logistical and packaging issues. The network is also considering introducing new beverages to replace traditional Coca-Cola and Pepsi and is already looking to sign new contracts. The Chernogolovka lemonades were reported to be the main candidate for the replacement in recent months.
The prices will remain unchanged for now but will be adjusted in the nearest future, the CEO said.
A woman places an order in a joint of the newly opened fast food restaurant chain on Bolshaya Bronnaya Street in Moscow, Russia. The new chain of restaurants based on McDonald's is going to be called "Vkusno i tochka" ("Delicious and that's it!").
© Sputnik / Evgeny Odinokov
/ McDonald's announced the suspension of its operations in Russia on March 14 due to Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. The company cited "operational, technical, and logistical difficulties" as reasons for closure, though over 90% of products for the chain were locally produced. The chain was later bought by Russian businessman Alexander Govor for a "symbolic amount."
