What was the name of McDonald's first restaurant opened in Moscow in 1990?

The first McDonald’s restaurant in Moscow opened at Pushkin Square in 1990.

The opening was a major international branding event because it brought the American fast-food chain into the Soviet Union during a period of significant political and economic change. The restaurant attracted enormous public attention, with long lines becoming one of the most widely remembered images associated with the launch.

McDonald’s had spent years preparing for the Moscow opening. The company developed local supply arrangements and trained staff so that the restaurant could operate with its expected standards of consistency and service. This preparation reflected a broader McDonald’s strategy: preserve recognizable branding while adapting operations to local conditions.

The location is commonly called the Pushkin Square McDonald’s, after the central Moscow square where it opened. It should not be confused with Red Square, another famous Moscow landmark that was not the restaurant’s name.