The simplest things can become symbolic. Opening a Mc'Donald's is an everyday thing, as there are a gazillion of them around the world. But the first Soviet Mc'Donald's in Moscow? This is something else entirely.
Initiative to open McDonald's in Moscow began as a collaboration between McDonald's of Canada and the Moscow City Council. George Cohon, founder and CEO of McDonald's Canada met Soviet officials at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, where they were supposed to talk for the first time about the opening of a fast food branch also in Moscow. And 14 years later, January 31, 1990, their idea became reality.
During construction it is said to be the largest McDonald's in the world. It was in the room 900 seats, but it worked 600 workers, which were carefully selected among 35,000 applicants.
It was reported that the restaurant expected to v served 1000 visitors on the first day. A Big Mac cost 3.75 rubles, and people wanted to try the novelty. On More than 5,000 Soviet citizens were waiting for the opening of the restaurant in Pushkin Square, and during the day there was a line up in the restaurant just because of one hamburger 30,000 visitors.
Today, when we live in a time of mass advertising and the constant opening of new facilities, we cannot even imagine that could gather so many people in one place in one day. In the image gallery you can see, what this epic day looked like.
Picture gallery - McDonald's in Moscow
