Fed-Up Russians Served Mouldy Burgers In Replacement McDonald’s Restaurants

Earlier this year, McDonald’s Corp exited Russia, selling its restaurants to a local licensee. The chain had been the first American fast food to open in the Soviet Union, which collapsed in 1991. And its decision to leave emerged as other American food & beverage giants like Coca-Cola stopped operations in Russia due to western sanctions.

The restaurants, about 50 in total, located in and around Moscow, have officially reopened in June under the new name Vkuso & Tochka or Tasty and That’s It.

But so far, customers who have tried out Russia’s re-branded McDonald’s restaurants are complaining of mould on the buns of their burgers. According to Ksenia Sobchak, a popular TV celebrity and the Russian opposition’s most prominent women politician, insect legs have also been seen in Russian burgers.

“Vkusno & Tochka sells mouldy burgers,” Sobchak posted on her Telegram channel.

She added: “It looks like they don’t quite honor the standards of McDonald’s, at least in terms of product quality control. Today at least three cases were recorded of burgers with mouldy buns sold to customers. Two of them were for my subscribers.” When the new management took over the outlets, they had promised the same but better. With this turn of events, customers now have their doubts. 

Photos show the sinister mould, and Sobchak told the management: “Figure it out, guys, you don’t need to poison people.”

Other complaints of the new Russian chain are a lack of meat in cheeseburgers and cheese sauces with expired use-by dates. A few protested the fries were sad compared with the real thing from McDonald’s, which had been in Russian since 1990. Equally, the new packaging has replaced the old, and the Golden Arches have vanished.

However, the CEO of Vkusno I Tochka, Oleg Paroev, has said all 850 former McDonald’s would be open by September under the new name.