Which McDonald’s restaurant opened in Moscow in 1990 as the company’s first location in the Soviet Union?

Pushkin Square McDonald’s opened in Moscow in 1990 as the company’s first Soviet location.

The restaurant opened on January 31, 1990, at Pushkin Square in central Moscow. Its arrival was widely treated as a major symbol of changing economic and cultural relations near the end of the Soviet period. Large crowds attended the opening, making the restaurant internationally notable beyond its role as a fast-food outlet.

McDonald’s had spent years preparing for the Moscow launch, including developing local supply arrangements so the company could maintain its standards for ingredients and restaurant operations. The opening therefore represented both a branding event and a complex logistical project.

The location is often casually called a Red Square McDonald’s because it was in central Moscow. Its specific name and location, however, were Pushkin Square, not Red Square.