McDonald’s withdraws from Russia and wants to sell its 850 restaurants



HASfter weeks of procrastination, McDonald’s has made a heavy decision that will cost it dearly economically. The American fast food giant, which had closed its stores in Russia in early March, announced on Monday May 16 that it was withdrawing from the country and selling all its activities in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “We are committed to our global community and must remain adamant about our values,” Group CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a company statement. “Respecting our values ​​means we can no longer keep the Arches [le logo de McDonald’s, NDLR] in Russia, he added. Present in Russia for over thirty years, McDonald’s has 850 restaurants and 62,000 employees.

The company had announced the temporary closure of all its restaurants and the suspension of its operations in the country on March 8, following in the footsteps of other multinationals which had distanced themselves from Moscow. “The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine and the unpredictable economic environment that resulted from it led McDonald’s to conclude that the continuation of our activities in Russia was no longer tenable or consistent with our values”, indicated the American giant.

Looking for a local buyer

The group estimates that it will record a non-cash charge (not giving rise to any outflow of money) of between 1.2 billion and 1.4 billion dollars due to its withdrawal from the country. Russia, where McDonald’s directly manages more than 80% of the restaurants bearing its name, accounts for 9% of the company’s total revenue and 3% of its operating profit. The group is seeking to resell its entire Russian portfolio to a local player. Until a transaction is finalized, McDonald’s is committed to continuing to pay its employees and wants to ensure that they continue to be hired by the future acquirer.

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