Tasty and Dot": McDonald's Russian successor shuts down in Belgorod amid safety concerns

The press service for "Wkusno i Toczka" (Tasty and Dot), a Russian fast-food chain and successor to the globally renowned McDonald's, has announced the temporary shutdown of its establishments in Belgorod due to safety concerns for its employees and customers, in addition to a suspension of court activities in the area.

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The chain cited the well-being of its staff and patrons as the primary reason for its decision to close all outlets in Belgorod. The timeline for resuming operations remains unclear.

Emerging as McDonald's Russian replacement, "Tasty and Dot" temporarily ceases operations with no specified reopening date. According to Belgorod media, the local courts have also paused normal functioning, adopting an emergency work mode for handling only urgent cases.

In light of Russia's aggressive military actions against Ukraine, McDonald’s withdrew from the Russian market on May 13, 2022. Amidst these circumstances, Russian entrepreneur Alexander Govor acquired the 850 vacated McDonald's outlets. His involvement was highlighted during the chain’s launch on a Sunday in mid-2022.

Shortly after rebranding and reopening in June 2022, there were reports of substandard food quality, including incidents with moldy buns at one of the outlets.

The closure decision comes in the wake of a guerrilla attack ongoing since March 9, which has resulted in 16 deaths and 98 injuries to date. Russian military bloggers describe the situation as akin to a full-scale military operation, complete with the use of aviation, artillery, tanks, and drones. In response, President Putin has mobilized the FSB.