Russians served mouldy burgers in McDonald’s replacement restaurants
A new restaurant chain that attempted to replace McDonald’s in Russia has fallen far short of expectations, with one customer having a horrendous experience.
The fast food restaurants that replaced McDonald’s in Russia have reportedly been serving up mouldy hamburgers to customers.
The US fast food giant shuttered its stores in the country in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Now diners at the new Vkusno & Tochka outlets (translated from Russian as “tasty and that’s it”) posted photos of their food on social media, New York Post reports.
The disturbing images show mould on the hamburger buns. Other customers have reported finding insect legs in the meat patties, according to the Daily Mail.
Ksenia Sobchak, a Russian television personality and a leader of the political opposition to the Putin government, posted the images on her Telegram chat channel.
“Vkusno & Tochka sells mouldy burgers,” Sobchak alleged.
Want a streaming service dedicated to news? Flash lets you stream 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 >
“It looks like they don’t quite honour the standards of McDonald’s, at least in terms of product quality control. Today at least three cases were recorded of burgers with mouldy buns sold to customers,” she claimed.
When McDonald’s sold its 700 eateries to the operators of Vkusno & Tochka, the new chain’s top executives promised that customers would get a better dining experience.
Oleg Paroev, who was CEO of McDonald’s Russia before becoming the new top executive at the rebranded outfit, claimed that the chain sold a record 120,000 burgers on its opening day on June 12.
But judging by the reaction on social media, Russian consumers are chafing at the sight of these unhappy meals.
Some have also complained about lack of cheese in the cheeseburgers that are offered.
Others reportedly said that the cheese sauce they were served was past its expiration date.
“I don’t think it’s OK when you find mould,” one customer wrote on Telegram.
Another said: “Figure it out, guys – you don’t need to poison people.”
A spokeswoman for the chain told Newsweek that they contacted the manufacturer for further clarification and discarded affected products, saying “product quality and safety is our top priority”.
Earlier this year, McDonald’s exited Russia over the country’s invasion of Ukraine, but it retains the right to buy back the business after 15 years.
The Golden Arches debuted in Moscow more than 30 years ago – just after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The new chain is barred by trademark laws to sell Big Macs or McFlurry’s, but it still has access to many of the same ingredients used to make the signature menu items.
“The fact [the Big Mac] has now gone from the menu does not help us,” Mr Paroev told Reuters.
“Our guests will get used to the new name and understand that they are no longer at a ‘Mac’, but at a ‘Tochka’.”
This article originally appeared on the New York Post and has been republished with permission
Qantas pilot named as crash victim
A Qantas pilot has been named as one of three victims who died in a horror mid-air crash in Sydney on Saturday.
Five injured in gas explosion at campground
Five people have been injured in a gas explosion at a campground in South Australia, with two of them in a serious condition.
Seaplane ditches into ocean at holiday hotspot
An investigation is underway after a seaplane carrying five people ditched into the ocean at a popular tourist hotspot.