Earlier this week, reports broke out that McDonald’s, one of the leading fast food chains in the world, would be shutting down all of its 847 outlets in Russia. The decision came amidst the ongoing dispute between the country and Ukraine.
The matter was confirmed by the CEO of McDonald’s Russia, Chris Kempczinski. In his statement, he also revealed that all of the employers who have been affected (both in Russia and Ukraine) will still receive their full salary throughout the temporary closure of the fast food restaurant franchise.
Following the news, it has been reported that some of McDonalds’s products were sold at unreasonably high prices on websites in Russia. According to a report by Anadolu Agency, some of the hamburgers available at the fast food chain were sold for US$150 (~RM629.18)!
For those who don’t know, the first McDonald’s in Russia opened in Pushkin Square, Moscow in 1990. It’s safe to say that the temporary closure of McDonald’s is taking a huge toll on tons of fast food lovers in the country. As reported by Utusan, many locals have swarmed in to get their last Big Mac meal set before the outlets across the country ceased their operations.
Apart from McDonald’s, other brands that have officially pulled out of the Russian market include Starbucks, Uniqlo, H&M and Pepsi, among others.
Sources: Anadolu via The Sun Daily, Utusan.
