When it comes to ideology what communism and what McDonalds stand for would appear to be polar opposites, but McDonalds communism is very much a thing and both former and current communist states have embraced Ronald McDonald, which begs the question, why?
To read about socialist states click here.
Where was the first communist McDonalds?
The famous pictures of the first McDonalds to open in Moscow in 1991, when it was still the USSR are infamous, even more so since their closure at the offset of the Russia – Ukraine War, another nail in the coffin of the “no two countries with a McDonalds have gone to war”.
The Moscow McDonalds though was far from the first……
Fast Food in China
The first fast food outlet to open in the Peoples Republic of China occurred after they had decided to essentially reintroduce capitalism, or rather socialism with Chinese characteristics.
McDonalds though were not the first fast-food joint with that falling to KFC, who are in more countries and have more stores than any other franchise. McDonalds entered in November of 1987 and now have thousands of stores, they were though not the first Communist McDonalds.
And no it was not Vietnam either who only recently let McDonalds in, where the local market is dominated by Lotterria, nor was it Cambodia who even now do not have a McDonalds.
To read why there is no McDonalds in Cambodia click here.
McDonalds Communism – The Eastern Bloc
So agin whilst the Soviet McDonalds is the most famous, it was not the first in the Eastern Bloc, for which we will say for now encompasses anyone from the Warsaw Pact.
This honour goes to Hungary who opened a McDonalds in April of 1988, but someone wiles beat them by a month, and that was Belgrade the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, who opened their first joint in March of 1988 and you know what it is still there!!!!
Communist and McDonalds in the 21st century!
Officially China, North Korea, Vietnam, Cuba and Laos are the last real holdouts for communism. As we have mentioned China and Vietnam have McDonalds and so does Cuba, kinda.
While there is no McDonalds in Cuba proper there is one on Guantanamo Bay, so bot of a cheat there.
This laves Laos who have Pizza Hut and North Korea who have zero western fast food brands, although there is a Singaporean run burger franchise of sorts.
So, there you have it! The unholy marriage that is communism and McDonalds, true evidence of peaceful coexistence.
About Post Author
