In May, amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine, the world’s largest fast-food chain McDonald’s withdrew, closing 850 of its stores. As it left Russia, it transferred ownership of the stores to Alexander Grovor, a local licence holder. The businesses were quickly rebranded with the tagline “The name changes, love stays” and given the new name Vkusno I Tochka. With two fries and a hamburger patty set against a green backdrop, the logo replaced McDonald’s famous golden arches. Translation of the name “Vkusno I Tochka” is “Tasty, that’s it.”
In and around Moscow’s Pushkin Square, “Vkusno I Tochka” established their first restaurants, shattering McDonald’s sales records by selling around 120,000 hamburgers on the first day. The packaging, colours, and even the staff uniforms have all been entirely changed for the new chain. However, although having different names, the majority of the menu items are still quite identical to those offered at McDonald’s.
Despite the absence of McDonald’s iconic Big Mac and McFlurry, the menu does have other comparable foods. Grand De Luxe, Double Grand, Grandee, Chicken Premier, and single or double fish burgers are a few of the restaurant’s burger options. Along with a huge selection of breakfast items, drinks, and sauces, the restaurant also sells wraps, desserts, fries, muffins, and buns.
Despite having a smaller menu than McDonald’s, Grovor intends to provide products that are comparable to the Big Mac. “The Big Mac is the narrative of McDonald’s,” he declared. We will undoubtedly take similar action. To make this meal even better so that our visitors and guests enjoy it, we will try our best.
The fast-food colossus has no intention of doing the same, according to Grovor, despite Russian officials’ claims that McDonald’s can buy back its firm within 15 years.
From the 850 sites under McDonald’s, the renamed company plans to add roughly 1000 outlets across Russia in the next four to five years.
As stated by CEO Oleg Paroev: “Our aim is that our visitors do not detect a difference either in quality or atmosphere,” the largest issue “Vkusno I Tochka” confronts is keeping a consistent flow of customers and matching the quality and experience of McDonald’s.
Not just McDonald’s has discontinued selling its products throughout the nation. Following the invasion of Ukraine, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Mothercare, and Heineken ceased supplying Russia and closed their locations there. Along with British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, which owns businesses including JPS and Davidoff Cigarettes, has halted production at its plants in the nation. Levi’s and Netflix have also discontinued their domestic sales.
