The opening of McDonald's in Ukraine is not only about delicious food
Today, at 9 a.m. McDonald's resumed its first three locations in Kiev. Almost immediately the Glovo delivery service "went down" - so far the fast food establishments have been working only for delivery, and there were too many people wishing to savor this fast food again. But in fact, the reopening of McDonald's in Ukraine is more than just restoring the ability to eat burgers and fries.
Why is the reopening of McDonald's important to Ukraine?
"The return of a major American company is, first and foremost, a signal to international businesses that they can operate in Ukraine, even despite the conditions of war. These are jobs and taxes for the Ukrainian budget, the survival of our economy in times of Russian aggression", - said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
Whether the McDonald's reopening will have a significant impact on Ukraine's economy is a matter of opinion. But the reopening of the establishments means the reopening of certain suppliers and the reopening of jobs for some people.
Another important point is that the chain has uniform standards for all restaurants in all countries. And the chain had no algorithms for working during the air raids. But for Ukraine, McDonald's made an exception - they developed security protocols and new rules.
Since the full-scale invasion, the corporation had no plans to return to Ukraine before the end of active hostilities, so the President's office had a long time to convince the American owners that the establishments could operate safely in Ukraine even during the war.
In addition to the economic significance, the psychological and image aspect is also important. McDonald's is a kind of symbol of capitalism, and for many people it is also a sign of a certain stability for people and a return to normal life. No wonder that the closure of the American fast food chain in Russia has caused such a strong reaction from people.
How will the restoration of McDonald's work in Ukraine take place?
In the near future, several more locations will open in Kiev and western Ukraine. In October, McDonald's intends to resume full operations, not just delivery.
The establishments will close during the air alert so that employees and visitors can move to the nearest shelter. In doing so, the team will promptly dispense orders already paid for while it stops production processes and shuts down equipment before closing.
Prices have gotten higher
Compared to pre-war prices, McDonald's food prices have skyrocketed. For a cheeseburger you have to pay 52 UAH, for a hamburger – 45 UAH.
If before Big Tasty cost 112 UAH, now it's 154 UAH. The price for Double Cheeseburger rose from 61 UAH to 81 UAH, and Big Mac rose in price from 69 UAH to 92 UAH. A large portion of Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta costs 40 UAH.
Finally, such a long-awaited event for Ukrainians has already happened. We are waiting for other international companies to return to Ukraine. And we work for our victory.
Glory to Ukraine!
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