Once a powerful symbol in Russia, McDonald's withdraws

McDonald's pulling out - along with CNN, Fox, MSNBC, Facebook, etc. Seems like we are rewarding Russia rather than punishing them. Keep this up and they will be the most mentally and physically fit people on the planet.

Seems like we are rewarding Russia rather than punishing them

That was funny.

Ah the corporate world: corporate food, corporate news, corporate governments. It’s not all bad except for the corporate news I guess, when stories like these somehow become important and one sided propaganda rather than truthfully informing folks of how this conflict evolved over the last 3 decades starting with Bill Clinton.

McDonald's pulling out - along with CNN, Fox, MSNBC, Facebook, etc. Seems like we are rewarding Russia rather than punishing them. Keep this up and they will be the most mentally and physically fit people on the planet.

I think its being overly optimistic to assume that the things that will replace those are going to be better. I can't speak to the fast food side of things having never tasted what Russian versions of it are like (maybe better than McDonalds? Its not a high bar to meet so yeah, that is possible. Of course, that is ALL they will have from now on so the lack of choice is probably going to suck, its not just McDonalds they are losing). On the media side, you can certainly criticize CNN, Fox, MSNBC etc for a lot of things but I have trouble believing that a media environment where only state TV which is so tightly controlled that they can't even mention the fact that there is a war going on in Ukraine is going to be a step up.

@commanteer and FizzBit

Could you provide links to what news we should be reading?

Thanks in advance.

That's OK. They've still got Burger King.

That's OK. They've still got Burger King.

Burger King announced a few days ago they were ending all support for their Russian business too.

Technically the franchises can still operate, but they are cut off from Burger Kings' supply chain so I'm not sure how easy it will be for them to continue as Burger Kings.

It will be interesting to monitor US domestic sales after this withdrawal.

rainydayToday  11:18 am JST

I'm not sure how easy it will be for them to continue as Burger Kings.*

Quite simple, rebrand all the stores as Burger Czar........offer free vodka shots with every order of extra superjumbo fries and the place will pack out

This is a whopper of a tale, but if they want to get out of a pickle and ketchup to the west, then lettuce not forget to ask where's the beef?

Sad part is that all of these corporate and country inspired sanctions and withdrawals are likely to be as damaging to the sanctioners as they are to Russia and almost certainly as they are to Putin and his cronies.

Could you provide links to what news we should be reading?

start with “Super Size Me”, then when you grow up, try things like medicinal research thingies like , um, obesity, heart disease, exploitation of workers, chemical additives, animal rights abuse. Then, when really grown up, research the effects of Amazon rainforests destruction to supply beef for American fast food companies and the effects on climate change and global warming.

about sanctions, young Russians know the taste, so they will just copy the product plan. Russians are not stupid. They are in space, first actually.

“The feeling was, ‘Let’s go and see how Westerners do things better. Let’s go and see what a healthy society has to offer,’” Vexler said

…..

Healthy society?

Mr Vexler has never had the opportunity to witness the gross obesity on view in the land of the Big Mac

This is a whopper of a tale, but if they want to get out of a pickle and ketchup to the west, then lettuce not forget to ask where's the beef?

ah yeah, you can show yourself out.

This is a whopper of a tale, but if they want to get out of a pickle and ketchup to the west, then lettuce not forget to ask where's the beef?

I can't believe people downvoted you for this! I laughed.

But McDonald's will never be closed in China no matter what.

Not really a fan of fast food but I have guilty little pleasure for their fries. McDonald’s did the right thing. All the multinationals are big enough to afford to loose Russian business.

I just remembered that McDonald's raised their prices here in Japan starting Monday, this week.

I think it was 20 yen per burger.

Not sure about the fries.

Seems like a gap in the market for a local entrepreneur.

Nothing sold will be handed over to the state. Once again there will be nationalized industries and businesses. And all of this just so corporate America can look good for their far-left fans back at home. 

So you are saying the right wing does not support boycotting Russia or closing US businesses in Russia? Business as usual?

I just remembered that McDonald's raised their prices here in Japan starting Monday, this week.

I think it was 20 yen per burger

20 Yen is 20 cents. It's next to nothing.

Do really think corporate America is just going to give up all that money for nothing? Especially for humanitarian purposes? They’re banking on bigger fish

Or they don't want to risk being dragged through courts in multiple countries like some German and Japanese companies accused of abetting war crimes, maybe have factories confiscated to pay reparations for the victims of a genocidal Russian war. Bigger fish indeed!

20 Yen is 20 cents. It's next to nothing.

Missing the point. A "next to nothing" increase gives other companies an excuse to start raising their prices as well. Before we notice, we're all paying out of our noses for even our basic daily commodities.

It must be nice to be rich like some folks here.