McDonald's Russian business was inherited by entrepreneur Alexander Govor, who in May 2022 bought the assets of the American company in the country. The deal was concluded after McDonald's announced its complete exit from the Russian market. The amount was not disclosed, and Govor described it as “symbolic“ and well below the market price.
Govor previously managed McDonald's restaurants under a franchise in Siberia. Under the terms of the contract, he undertook to maintain the operation of the network and invest in its development. To “Kommersant“ the businessman indicated that the initial funds needed by the end of 2022 are about 6.5-7 billion rubles.
From 850 restaurants to a new brand
The first 15 restaurants under the brand “Vkusno – i dotka“ opened on June 12, 2022 in Moscow and the Moscow region. The new operator planned to restore the work of about 200 sites by the end of June and all nearly 850 restaurants by the end of the summer. Subsequently, the network retained a large part of the premises, equipment and employees, but removed the name, logo and protected products of McDonald’s.
Initially, the menu was smaller. Big Mac and McFlurry were not offered, and some of the familiar products received new names. Reuters quotes then-director Oleg Paroev as saying the goal is for customers to not notice a difference in quality and atmosphere. Later, local substitutes such as “Big Hit“ appeared on the menu.
The contract also provides for an option for McDonald’s to buy back the assets within 10 to 15 years. In February 2026, Alexander Govor told RBC: “I don't think that at this point it's even profitable.“ According to him, the American company has not taken any steps to return to the Russian market.
Revenues are growing, but profits are shrinking
The financial results show the change in the scale of the business. In 2022, when the restaurants were only open part of the year, “Sistema PBO“ reported 73.5 billion rubles in revenue and 11.6 billion rubles in net loss. In 2023, revenue grew to 155.7 billion rubles, and the company reported 14.2 billion rubles in net profit. Interfax attributed the growth to the operation of all locations throughout the year, the opening of 37 new restaurants, and the restoration of the delivery service.
In 2024, revenue reached 187.36 billion rubles, an increase of 20.3%. Net profit grew to 16.96 billion rubles, and the network now included more than 920 enterprises in 65 regions.
In 2025, revenue increased by 16.7% to 218.6 billion rubles. However, the cost of sales increased by 19% to 180.7 billion rubles, and net profit fell by 15.1% to 14.4 billion rubles. The company also paid out about 14.2 billion rubles in dividends. According to Interfax, the network now has over 970 outlets in 66 regions of Russia.
First expansion outside Russia is coming
In March 2026, “Vkusno – i dot“ signed a contract with the local franchisee “Alcrest Food“ to develop the brand in Kyrgyzstan. The plan is for up to 15 restaurants within five years and about 750 jobs. The first facility in Bishkek, which will be located in the building of the “Rossiya“ cinema, is planned for the end of 2026. This is the first announced foreign market for the Russian chain.
Sources: interfax.ru, rbc.ru, kommersant.ru