Just days after a Big Mac-sized hole opened up in the Crimean region of Ukraine, Burger King announced plans to expand into the region.
State-owned Information Telegraph Agency of Russia broke the story, but details of the expansion are still a little cloudy.
The CEO of Burger King Russia told the outlet, "We are planning to introduce our services in Crimea, though, I can neither tell you when exactly it will happen, nor how many restaurants there will be.” (Via ITAR-TASS)
This would be the franchise’s first move into Crimea, though it operates more than 200 restaurants in Russia. (Via Wikimedia Commons / Александр Мотин)
So while McDonald’s is moving out citing “manufacturing reasons,” Burger King thinks it’ll be able to make money in the region despite the ongoing tensions in Ukraine. Political grounds in Crimea are shaky at best right now.
The Moscow Times noted McDonald’s "hinted at the logistical difficulties and uncertainty of working in Crimea created by sanctions and the peninsula's incorporation into Russia."
In the end, Burger King Russia hasn’t given a timeframe for its entry into the region, which could come after those shaky grounds get a little more stable.
