McDonald’s announced in May that it would sell its business in Russia amid the country’s invasion of Ukraine, and now a list of new names that could replace Maccie’s has been revealed.
The list was compiled after the Golden Arches sold almost 850 restaurants to Russian billionaire Alexander Govor last month.
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Possible names for the chain include ‘The Same One’, ‘Fun and Tasty’ and ‘Open Checkout’.
According to Metro, ‘The Only Way’ is also in the running, and all potential names were listed on Russian news site RBC.
The poll was held on the Russian social media site by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, however ‘McDuck’ has already been trademarked by the chain in the US.
The first McDonald’s opened in the Soviet Union back in 1990 during the last months of the Cold War.
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Located at Moscow's Pushkin Square, queues stretched around the block as people eagerly waited to get their mouths around a Big Mac.
The fast food chain has operated in the country for more than 30 years, but last month announced that holding on to its business in Russia is 'no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values' in the wake of the humanitarian crisis.
Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski cited the 'dedication and loyalty to McDonald’s' of employees and Russian suppliers while discussing the move, admitting their work had made it difficult to leave the country.
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However, Govor has since confirmed he intends to continue paying all 62,000 workers as part of the chain’s sale.
In March, McDonald's announced the temporary closure of its stores in Russia following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
McDonald’s said in a statement at the time: "The conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis in Europe has caused unspeakable suffering to innocent people. As a System, we join the world in condemning aggression and violence and praying for peace.
“At this juncture, it’s impossible to predict when we might be able to reopen our restaurants in Russia. We are experiencing disruptions to our supply chain along with other operational impacts. We will also closely monitor the humanitarian situation."
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If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information
Aisha Nozari