MOSCOW, Russia - McDonald’s intent to fully quit the Russian market after 32 years left many fast food restaurant owners in the country, including those owned by Kurds, mired in hopes of replacing the giant American corporation. McDonald’s in March said it was to exit Russia completely, saying operating in the country following the invasion of Ukraine is “no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values.” Serdar Amedi has been working in Russia over the past decade. He has previously worked in a Kurdish restaurant and decided to open his own doner restaurant two months ago. "In the past [at his previous job], our business was doing well. Since McDonald's has ceased operations, our business is doing much better and our customers are interested in it,” Amedi told Rudaw’s Kamez Shadadi on Monday. McDonald’s agreed on May 19 to sell its business in Russia to its current licensee who will remove its branding from the restaurants. The corporation started operating in Russia in 1990. It has more than 39,000 locations in over 100 countries. About 95 percent of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners.
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