On what date did McDonald’s open its first restaurant in the Soviet Union, in Moscow?

McDonald’s opened its first Soviet restaurant in Moscow on January 31, 1990.

The Moscow opening was a major branding and business milestone because it brought one of America’s best-known restaurant chains into the Soviet Union near the end of the Cold War. Thousands of people reportedly queued for the opening, making the event a widely recognized symbol of changing international relations.

The restaurant was established through a joint venture involving McDonald’s Canada and the Moscow city government. Although the menu and operating model followed McDonald’s standards, the company emphasized local sourcing and preparation. The opening occurred before the Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991, so it is correctly described as a Soviet-era McDonald’s launch.