According to patent papers on Friday, McDonald’s in Russia has registered potential brand names for the company that will take over its fast-food locations, including “Fun and Tasty” and “The Same One.”
“Just Like That” and “Open Checkout” were among the trademarks registered with Russia’s Rospatent office, from which the corporation eventually planned to choose one brand.
In Russia, the world’s largest burger company has over 850 restaurants, which it is selling to local licensee Alexander Govor, who controls a 25-restaurant operation. In Russia, Govor will operate under a new identity, and other franchisees will have the option of working under the new name.
In response to Russia’s military operation in Ukraine and the subsequent wave of Western indignation and sanctions, McDonald’s (MCD) declared earlier this month that it would exit the country entirely. The corporation, which owns 84 percent of its Russian restaurants, is one of the most well-known international companies to have left Russia since the invasion in February.
McDonald’s joined other Western firms in temporarily shutting down its restaurants in Russia in March, shortly after the war began.
McDonald’s three-decade connection with Russia comes to an end with this choice. On January 31, 1990, McDonald’s launched its first outlet in Moscow. More than 30,000 people were served, and the crowds forced the Pushkin Square site to stay open hours later than intended.
According to Darra Goldstein, a Russia expert at Williams College, the company’s arrival in Moscow was about more than just Big Macs and fries. It was the most visible manifestation of Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbechev’s efforts to open up his collapsing country to the rest of the world.
She earlier stated, “There was a really visible crack in the Iron Curtain.” “It was a very symbolic representation of the changes that were occurring.” The Soviet Union would fall apart two years later.
McDonald’s will suffer a $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion write-off as a result of its pullout from Russia.