McDonald’s says it will reopen branches in Ukraine to restore an ‘important sense of normalcy’ in the country six months after restaurants closed when Russia invaded
- Company closed its Ukrainian restaurants but has continued to pay employees
- Decision to reopen some of the branches is also a show of support for Ukraine
- Employees have expressed desire to return to work in Ukraine
- Has not been announced how many restaurants will reopen or when
McDonald’s has said it will reopen branches in Ukraine to restore an ‘important sense of normalcy’ in the country six months after restaurants closed when Russia invaded.
It said on Thursday that it will reopen some restaurants in Kyiv and western Ukraine, where businesses are trading away from the fighting. Businesses open in Kyiv include Nike, KFC and Mango.
McDonald’s closed its Ukrainian restaurants because of the war but has continued to pay more than 10,000 employees in the country.
Its decision to reopen some of the branches is also a symbol of support for Ukraine after it suspended McDonald’s operations in Russia in March.
The company closed its Ukrainian restaurants but has continued to pay more than 10,000 McDonald’s employees in the country. Pictured: A closed McDonald’s restaurant in February in Kyiv
Paul Pomroy, corporate senior vice president of international operated markets said in a message to employees: ‘We’ve spoken extensively to our employees who have expressed a strong desire to return to work and see our restaurants in Ukraine reopen.
‘In recent months, the belief that this would support a small but important sense of normalcy has grown stronger.’
There are 109 McDonald’s branches in Ukraine but the company has not said how many would open, when or which would welcome back customers first.
The company said that over the next few months, it will work with vendors to get supplies into restaurants, prepare stores and bring back employees as well as launching safety procedures as the war rages to the east.
McDonald’s decision to reopen in Ukraine comes after the country was severely damaged economically by the war.
Restarting businesses, even in a limited capacity, would help. It has been predicted by The International Monetary Fund that Ukraine’s economy could shrink by 35 per cent this year.
McDonald’s sold its 850 restaurants in Russia to a franchise owner after the country invaded Ukraine. Pictured: A closed McDonald’s in Podolsk outside Moscow in May
Meanwhile, McDonald’s has sold its 850 restaurants in Russia to a franchise owner. It comes three decades after the company opened its first location in Moscow, which became a powerful symbol of easing Cold War tensions.
After shutting Russian locations of the fast-food restaurant in March, the company lost around $55 million per month.
Selling its Russian restaurants was the first time the company had ‘de-arched,’ or exited a major market.
Alexander Govor bought thousands of the former McDonald’s restaurants in Russia and has been reopening them under the name Vkusno-i Tochka, or Tasty-full stop.
Thousands of former McDonald’s restaurants have been reopening in Russia under the name Vkusno-i Tochka- Tasty Full Stop. Pictured: A branch of the new franchise in Moscow
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