At the end of April 2025, messages appeared in Telegram channels about the restaurant chain’s plans to return to the Russian market. We have verified the accuracy of such publications.
On April 26, Russian-language media distributed a snapshot of a trademark application filed by McDonald’s with the Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent). “McDonald’s is returning to Russia,” the Telegram channel commented on the news.Dvach"(268,000 views at the time of writing this analysis), similar posts were released, for example, "Uncle Slava" (172,000) and "Russian economy"(123,000). Other bloggers chose less clear formulations like “McDonald’s is preparing to return to Russia” or “McDonald’s wants to return to Russia”, such publications were posted in the channels “Axe. Economy" (2.8 million), "Sanya in Florida" (498,000) and "NN"(290,000). The news also went viral on TikTok - there appeared tens video, whose authors congratulations to its subscribers with the return of popular fast food to the Russian Federation.
In May 2022, shortly after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the McDonald's fast food restaurant chain, like many Western companies, made a decision leave from the Russian market. Then the corporation statedthat “the humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, as well as the unpredictable business environment, led McDonald’s to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia was no longer viable and inconsistent with the company’s values.”
McDonald's application for renewal of trademark registration in the Russian Federation, snapshot which was distributed almost three years later through the media and Telegram channels, the authentic one - “Verified” found the corresponding recording in the register on the Rospatent website. The application was submitted back in December 2024, but it began to be widely discussed only in April 2025, which provoked a surge of speculation. At the same time, on website company and its pages There are no messages on social networks about the resumption of business in Russia.
The fact is that filing such an application does not indicate McDonald’s plans to return to the Russian market. We are talking exclusively about a standard legal procedure: the company sent this document to Rospatent only to protect its intellectual property. On April 26, the Ukrainian division of McDonald's published on the social network X statement, which denied speculation about the network’s possible return to Russia. “McDonald's regularly updates ownership of its trademarks around the world, even in countries where the company does not operate,” the press release explains.
Back in May 2022, leaving the Russian market amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, McDonald's directly stated, which will retain the rights to the trademarks to avoid their use by third parties. The company emphasized: “We will stop using our brand in Russia, but will maintain its legal protection.” Russian establishments were transferred to new owners and started operating under the “Tasty – Period” brand, but McDonald’s retained the option to buy back for 15 years.
Previously circulated on social networks similar fake about the “return” of the Starbucks coffee chain to the Russian Federation, also based on the fact that the company filed an application with Rospatent. By the way, not only McDonald’s and Starbucks continue to protect their brands in Russia - similar applications were previously sent IKEA, Visa, Coca-Cola and other companies.
Social media users started talking about the possible return of the American restaurant chain write at the beginning of the year, shortly after the application was published in the Rospatent register. But the current, much larger wave of speculation began after the publication on the website “RIA Novosti» notes with the heading “McDonald’s has filed an application to register a trademark in Russia.” In an article published on the morning of April 26, Alina Akinshina, CEO of Online Patent, was quoted as saying that the filing of the application indicates the American company’s response to expected changes in Russian legislation regarding requirements for placing signs in Russian. “This position confirms the proactive monitoring of the Russian legislative field by McDonald’s and the company’s potential interest in returning to the Russian market,” Akinshina said. Apparently, it was these words of hers that were misinterpreted by Telegram channels.
Thus, as follows from the company’s statement, McDonald’s has no specific plans to return to the Russian market. Recent speculation on this topic was caused by the corporation's application to renew the trademark registration in Russia. However, this is not the first step to opening restaurants, but rather insurance against unfair use of a famous brand (and a common practice in international business).
Cover photo: Wikimedia Commons
Read on topic:
- Deutsche Welle. Secret sign: foreign companies retain rights to the brand in the Russian Federation
- T-J. What is known about the return of Western companies to Russia
- Is it true that the countries where McDonald's restaurants operate are not at war with each other?
- Is it true that McDonald's food doesn't go bad for years?
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