Syndication: USATODAY
ILLINOIS ( 77WABC)- Two months after the Berlin Wall fell, another powerful symbol opened its doors in the middle of Moscow: a gleaming new McDonald’s. It was the first American fast-food restaurant to enter the Soviet Union. But now, McDonald’s is temporarily closing its 850 restaurants in Russia in response to the Ukraine invasion. Vlad Vexler remembers waiting in a two-hour line at the first McDonald’s in 1990. He says McDonald’s was a sign of optimism that never really materialized. But some Russians say they won’t miss McDonald’s. Entrepreneur Yekaterina Kochergina said the closure is an opportunity for a Russian food brand to enter the market.
McDonald’s said in a statement that “at this juncture, it’s impossible to predict when we might be able to reopen our restaurants in Russia.” But it is continuing to pay its 62,500 Russian employees. The company said this week that it expects the closure to cost around $50 million per month.
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