January 31 - First McDonald's in the USSR

This Day in History: 31 January 2020

 

31 January 1990

 

30 years ago, today, the Soviet Union opened their first McDonald's restaurant in Moscow, and several people immediately began to line up to pay their wages in fast food. As a symbol of capitalism, this was a sign that relations and ideals were changing in the Soviet Union, especially due to the immense positive response it gained from the Russians. An American journalist at the event described the Russian civilians at the scene being amazed at the "simple sight of polite shop workers…in this nation of commercial boorishness." However, a Soviet journalist had a different opinion, who stated that the restaurant was "the expression of America's rationalism and pragmatism toward food," and commented that the contrast in ideals was sad and challenging.

 

However, for the average Russian person, visiting the restaurant was less of a political change, and was more of an opportunity to enjoy the little pleasure in the disastrous, economic climate, and internal political madness. The introduction of the McDonald's restaurant was a small, but certain sign of a change on the horizon, which proved to be true, as two years later, the Soviet Union ceased to exist, as Gorbachev resigned as leader, and many Soviet satellite states declared their independence. As of late 2015, McDonald's had 492 locations in Russia.

 

Want to find out more about the significance of the first McDonald's restaurant in the communist Soviet Union? Click here for a video explaining the matter, and click here from a news report from the day.