Russians lined up in a Moscow train station on Tuesday for what may be their last Big Mac from one of the few McDonald’s restaurants still open in the country.
The world’s largest burger chain is rolling down the shutters in Russia after more than 30 years, becoming one of the biggest global brands to leave following Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.
The company had already decided to temporarily close its restaurants in the country in March. They included the iconic Pushkin Square location in central Moscow, which broke global records when opening on January 31, 1990, as more than 30,000 people queued around the block for Big Macs costing 3 roubles.
“McDonald’s operates in few places now,” said 32-year-old Irina, who was queuing at the branch in Moscow’s Leningradsky Station, from where trains head north to St Petersburg. “I miss McDonald’s, so when I go to St Petersburg, I drop by and treat myself to a Big Mac.”