The new fast-food chain that will take over McDonald’s in Russia unveiled its new logo before its re-release. The new design of the logo shows a red-orange circle and two orange lines on a green background, the image is said to represent two yellow french fries sticks and a yellow-orange burger. The green background is reported to represent the quality of products and services. Critics on social media have commented on his resemblance to the Bangladeshi flag. “This is the flag of our country,” a Facebook user said, pointing to an emoticon with the flag. The new owner of McDonald’s has not yet decided on a new name, a company spokesman, Sistema PBO, told the state news agency TASS. Two of the eight names being considered are “Tot Samyi”, which translates to “The Same” or “That One” and “Svobodnaya Kassa” (Available Cash Register), according to an article in The Moscow Times. The relaunch of the chain is expected to begin on Sunday, when the country celebrates Russia Day, a celebration of the country’s independence, at the same iconic site in Moscow’s Pushkin Square where McDonald’s first opened in Russia in January 1990. . The reopening will initially cover 15 sites in Moscow and the surrounding area. McDonald’s announced last month that it was selling its restaurants in Russia to one of its local franchisees, Alexander Govor. The deal marked one of the highest-profile business withdrawals since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine on February 24. Govor said he plans to expand the brand to 1,000 locations across the country and reopen all of the chain’s restaurants within two months. But there may be some headwinds. McDonald’s, the world’s largest hamburger chain, owned 84% of its nearly 850 restaurants across Russia and was charged up to $ 1.4 billion after selling to Govor, which GiD LLC previously owned 25 restaurants. The fast food chain last year earned about 9 percent, or $ 2 billion, of its revenue from Russia and Ukraine. McDonald’s has the right to buy its Russian restaurants within 15 years, but many terms of the sale to Govor remain unclear. The TASS news agency reported Wednesday that McDonald’s will remain open as usual at Moscow and St. Petersburg airports and train stations until 2023, citing a source close to Rosinter Restaurants ROST.MM, another franchisee. “Rosinter has a unique agreement under which the American company can not withdraw the franchise. “They can work peacefully,” TASS quoted the source as saying.
