A Taste for McDonalds
Fast food is certainly delicious and while it may not be the healthiest option, its popularity certainly speaks for itself. Some people can’t resist a taste for McDonalds and the location near the Vokzalna has the distinction of being the third most-frequented McDonalds in the world.
McDonalds was established in California, USA in April 1955 and grew to become the large international corporation that it is today. However, in the Soviet Union, McDonalds remained a Western enigma, untasted through the Cold War. The first McDonalds to be opened in the USSR was in Moscow on Pushkin Square in 1990. At the height of Perestroika, its popularity was overwhelming, and it remains the busiest McDonalds in the world. At the time, McDonalds cost the same as fine dining and it offered Soviet citizens a window (albeit niche) to Western taste, style and sensibility. The first McDonalds was designed to encapsulate the friendly and accessible atmosphere of its American branding and was literally staffed by Moscow’s best and brightest – those who had mastery over several foreign languages and would internalize the persona. At the time, the whole McDonalds experience was exotic and intriguing for Soviet citizens.
In 1997, the first McDonalds opened in Ukraine near the Lukianivska metro in Kyiv. Enjoying a secure place in the market, the franchise has expanded with locations all over Ukraine. However, a key principle of business is location and the McDonalds located near the Vokzalna (Train Station) and its adjacent metro station is a prime fast-food location for hungry travellers on the go. This location achieved its status of third most-frequented Mcdonalds in 2010 and regularly maintains a position within the top five. According to statistics, the location serves over 2 million orders each year.
That’s a lot of BigMacs!
