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McDonald's Cancels Big Mac's 30th Birthday In Russia Over Virus Fears

MOSCOW -- McDonald’s in Russia is canceling its 30th anniversary promotional plan to offer its iconic Big Mac sandwiches at the Soviet-era price of 3 rubles ($0.05) on January 31 over public health concerns.

It said it would put the health of diners above other interests due to fears of a new respiratory virus from China spreading, the fast-food chain said on January 30.

"There’s nothing more important for us than the health of our guests and employees," Marc Carena, general director of McDonald’s in Russia, said in a statement.

Russia has no confirmed cases of the coronavirus but on January 30 it closed its eastern land border with China and it has formed a task force to guard against infections.

Carena noted measures taken by local officials to avoid mass gatherings that could trigger the spread of the virus.

More than 7,900 people have been infected with the dangerous new illness and at least 170 have died. Also on January 30, Russia said it would stop issuing electronic visas to nationals of China, where the virus originated.

When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds in Moscow flocked to taste their first Big Mac at the centrally-located eatery on Pushkin Square.

The Big Mac In Moscow Turns 30

Huge crowds line up outside Moscow's first McDonald's on Pushkin Square when it opened on January 31, 1990.
1/11 Huge crowds line up outside Moscow's first McDonald's on Pushkin Square when it opened on January 31, 1990.
When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
Muscovites were undeterred by the high prices at the new restaurant. Back in 1990, a Big Mac cost 3.50 rubles, more than a monthly bus pass. (The average monthly salary at the time was 150 rubles.)
2/11 Muscovites were undeterred by the high prices at the new restaurant. Back in 1990, a Big Mac cost 3.50 rubles, more than a monthly bus pass. (The average monthly salary at the time was 150 rubles.)
When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
3/11
When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
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When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
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When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
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When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
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When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
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When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
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When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
It wasn't all plain sailing for McDonald's in its early days in Russia. Here, Russian animal rights activists protest outside an outlet in 1992. 
10/11 It wasn't all plain sailing for McDonald's in its early days in Russia. Here, Russian animal rights activists protest outside an outlet in 1992. 
When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
<p>Quality-control inspectors at a&nbsp;McDonald&rsquo;s food-processing plant located in the Moscow suburb of Solntsevo scan a conveyor belt for poorly formed hamburger patties in&nbsp;1994. Machinery at the&nbsp;plant cranked&nbsp;out 10,000 hamburger patties hourly from beef provided by eight local slaughterhouses.</p>
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Quality-control inspectors at a McDonald’s food-processing plant located in the Moscow suburb of Solntsevo scan a conveyor belt for poorly formed hamburger patties in 1994. Machinery at the plant cranked out 10,000 hamburger patties hourly from beef provided by eight local slaughterhouses.
When the fast-food chain first opened in Russia on January 31, 1990, it was hailed as a sign of thawing Cold War relations and crowds of Muscovites flocked to taste their first Big Mac.
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The two all-beef patties sandwich with special sauce was pricey by Soviet standards costing 3.50 rubles, the equivalent of a monthly bus pass at the time.

Lately, the Chicago-based company has come under repeated pressure in Russia and had to temporarily close its flagship store -- one of the busiest in the world -- over alleged hygiene violations following Western sanctions over aggression toward Ukraine.

McDonald's employs more than 50,000 people in Russia.

Based on reporting by Daily Mail and AFP
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