Mcdonald's In Belarus: Yes Or No?

In November 2022, McDonald's announced that it would be suspending operations in Belarus, five months after the company left neighbouring Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The 25 McDonald's restaurants in Belarus, operated by a local licensee, were set to be rebranded as Vkusno & Tochka, which translates as Tasty and that's it. The new brand, which was already operating in Russia, would allow the retention of more than 2,000 jobs in Belarus. The restaurants would operate under the McDonald's brand during a transition period.

McDonald's Belarus outlets were replaced by Vkusno & tochka

In November 2022, McDonald's announced that it would be suspending operations in Belarus, citing "extensive local supply issues". The company's 25 restaurants in the country, all operated by a local licensee, were to be rebranded as Vkusno & Tochka ("Tasty and That's It"), the same brand that replaced McDonald's in Russia after it exited the country earlier in 2022 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The decision sparked outrage among Belarusians on social media, with many flocking to McDonald's restaurants during their final days of operation to get a final taste of the burgers. On November 18, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko commented on the matter, saying "Good riddance" and "we know how to cut a bun in half". However, he also believed that McDonald's should be replaced by a Belarusian company.

Vkusno & Tochka planned to open 25 outlets in six cities across Belarus, saving more than 2,000 jobs. The restaurants would continue to operate under the McDonald's brand during a transition period before rebranding within a few weeks.

As of November 2022, the old McDonald's restaurants in Belarus remained, but they were run without a brand, simply bearing the message "We are open!" outside. The restaurants also introduced a new menu, which was not well-received by Belarusians. The restaurants were still owned and operated by KSB Victory Restaurants, a company based in Singapore with two shareholders: Rapid Food Holding Pte. Ltd. and Sengermen Pte. Ltd.

Vkusno & tochka means Tasty, full stop

In 2022, McDonald's ceased operations in Russia and Belarus after the former invaded Ukraine. In Russia, McDonald's sold its restaurants to a local licensee, Alexander Govor, who rebranded them as "Vkusno & tochka", which translates to "Tasty, full stop" or "Tasty, period". The literal translation from Russian is "Tasty, and that's it".

In Belarus, McDonald's restaurants were operated by a local licensee, KSB Victory Restaurants, which ran 25 outlets in the country. In November 2022, it was announced that McDonald's would be leaving Belarus and that Vkusno & Tochka would take its place. However, this did not happen, and McDonald's extended its operations in the country until 27 November. Since then, the restaurants have been operating without a brand, simply bearing the message "We are open!" in Russian.

In April 2023, KSB Victory Restaurants filed an application for the name and trademark "Mak.by", and on 18 April, the restaurant chain was renamed accordingly.

The new brand allowed the retention of over 2,000 jobs

In November 2022, McDonald's announced it would be suspending operations in Belarus, citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the reason. The fast-food chain's 25 restaurants in the country, all operated by a local licensee, were to be rebranded as "Vkusno & Tochka", which translates as "Tasty and that's it". This decision came five months after McDonald's exited neighbouring Russia, selling its restaurants there to a local operator.

The new brand, "Vkusno & Tochka", allowed the retention of over 2,000 jobs in Belarus. The deal was made with the Belarusian franchisee, KSB Victory Restaurants, which managed the 25 McDonald's restaurants in the country. The franchisee is owned by KSB Victory Restaurants Pte. Ltd., a company based in Singapore with two shareholders: Rapid Food Holding Pte. Ltd. and Sengermen Pte. Ltd. Rapid Food Holding Pte. Ltd. is owned by Kazakh businessman Kairat Boranbayev, while Sengermen Pte. Ltd. is owned by Belarusian businesswoman Victoria Danko, who is also the director of KSB Victory Restaurants.

The rebranding of the restaurants in Belarus took place over a few weeks, and during the transition period, the outlets continued to operate under the McDonald's brand. The new brand, "Vkusno & Tochka", was already present in Russia, where McDonald's restaurants had been rebranded following the company's exit from the market. The decision to operate in Belarus allowed the company to retain more than 2,000 jobs in the country, while continuing to meet all previous commitments to employees.

The closure of McDonald's restaurants in Belarus sparked outrage among Belarusians on social media channels, with long lines forming during the last few days of operation. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko commented on the matter, saying, "Good riddance" and believing that McDonald's should be replaced by a Belarusian company. However, he also stated that any foreign company that leaves Belarus is nationalised from that moment and becomes "our enterprise".

The restaurants are now run without a brand

In November 2022, McDonald's announced it would be suspending operations in Belarus, citing extensive local supply issues as the reason. The fast-food chain's 25 restaurants in the country, all operated by a local licensee, were set to be rebranded as Vkusno & Tochka, which translates as "Tasty and that's it". This decision came five months after McDonald's exited neighbouring Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine.

During a transition period, the outlets continued to operate under the McDonald's brand. However, the restaurants are now run without a brand, with text outside the premises simply reading "We are open!". The eateries also introduced a new menu, which has not been well-received by Belarusians.

The franchise agreement for the rebranding was signed with KSB Victory Restaurants, the company that managed the 25 McDonald's restaurants in Belarus. KSB Victory Restaurants is owned by KSB Victory Restaurants Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based company with two shareholders: Rapid Food Holding Pte. Ltd. and Sengermen Pte. Ltd. Rapid Food Holding Pte. Ltd. is owned by Kazakh businessman Kairat Boranbayev, while Sengermen Pte. Ltd. is owned by Belarusian businesswoman Victoria Danko.

The decision to rebrand McDonald's restaurants in Belarus sparked outrage among Belarusians on social media. Many customers wanted to get a final taste of McDonald's burgers before they were replaced. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko commented on the matter, stating, "Good riddance" and expressing his belief that McDonald's should be replaced by a Belarusian company. He reiterated that any foreign company that leaves Belarus is nationalised and becomes "our enterprise".

The new menu has not been well-received

In November 2022, McDonald's exited Belarus, five months after the fast-food chain left neighbouring Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. The 25 McDonald's restaurants in Belarus, operated by a local licensee, were rebranded as Vkusno & Tochka, meaning "Tasty and that's it".

The new menu is the result of a franchise agreement between Vkusno & Tochka and the Belarusian Victory Restaurants, which previously managed the Belarusian McDonald's chain. The deal allows the retention of more than 2,000 jobs in Belarus.

The old McDonald's restaurants remain open, but they are run without a brand, and simply state "We are open!" outside. It is expected that it will take some time for the restaurants to be fully rebranded.

Frequently asked questions