“Vkusno-i tochka,” or in English, Tasty and that’s it. Now that McDonald’s is out of Russia, a new replacement has opened its doors with this new name. On Sunday, McDonald’s welcomed customers anew under new ownership. Gone are the golden arches, the Big Macs, and the Filet-o-Fish is now just a fish burger.
About three decades ago, the American burger chain first served customers as a symbolic gesture of the warming relationship between the East and the West. Today, the unveiling of this new rebranded McDonald’s, Tasty and that’s it, is again a stark sign of the new world order. And on a historic day, which is Russia Day, a holiday to celebrate national pride.
“The name changes, love stays.”
When McDonald’s exited the country due to the conflict in Ukraine, they sold their fortunes. This will now be a test if Russia’s economy can become self-sufficient amidst the Western sanctions.
However, Sunday saw scores of people lining up outside McDonald’s former flagship restaurant in Puskin Square in central Moscow. The brand new outlet proudly displayed its new logo: a stylized burger with two fries. They also have a new slogan: “The name changes, love stays.”
Although this queue was smaller than that of the original opening of McDonald’s in 1990 during the Soviet era, Russians still expressed their love for the American burger restaurant. They reiterated the need to keep the quality up to make everything stay as it is.
This, according to IT worker Sardana Donskaya who was one of those who lined up 32 years ago. That was her first taste of the food chain that epitomized Western capitalism. She then returned on Sunday to welcome its successor.
Tasty and That’s It
Vkusno & Tochka’s menu has fewer options than what its predecessor had. It did not have the Big Mac, a few other burgers, and some desserts, particularly the McFlurry. However, it seems that the prices were lower as a double cheeseburger costs 129 roubles ($2.31). At McDonald’s, this would cost around 160 rubles, while a fish burger is 169 as opposed to its 190 price.
While the menu has changed, the equipment the rebranded outlets are using has remained. Closing its restaurants in March, McDonald’s announced its exit in the middle of May. It also disclosed its decision to leave the country altogether. It has made news as it is one of the most high-profile business exits since Russia sent its troops to Ukraine on February 24.
It seems that the departure was made in haste as the new management barely had enough time for it. This can be seen on the packaging of the fries, burgers, and drinks, which were in plain white. The takeout bags were in plain brown, and some ketchup packets still had the McDonald’s logo that was just covered up.
This made little difference, though. A fifteen-year-old customer, Sergei, asserted that the taste had stayed the same. He added that the cola was different but that there was really no change in the burger.
The New Big Mac
Vkusno & Tochka CEO Oleg Paroev, announced the plans the company has slated for the end of summer. They will be opening 200 more restaurants, will expunge of any references to McDonald’s, and will launch a burger that would replace the Big Mac, among many other changes.
The new owner, Alexander Govor, is one of the many Russians taking advantage of the situation as they are grabbing opportunities left by the fleeing Western businesses. There was no comment yet from McDonald’s about this sale and other deals.
