Poland's first McDonald's shuts up shop
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
30.09.2014 11:51
Poland's first ever branch of fast food chain McDonald's will serve its last customers on Tuesday, with a modern office block set to be built on the Warsaw site.
Photo: Creative Commons
The opening of the outlet in central Warsaw on 17 June 1992, three years after the collapse of communism, caused a media frenzy in Poland.
Such was the novelty value of the enterprise that the company notched up its highest ever daily number of transactions, with over 13, 300 purchases made (the record was later topped by a Moscow branch).
“It was a breakthrough,” sociologist Dr Krzysztof Martyniak told the TVN station.
“After the political changes, Poles could have a taste of the wider world,” he reflected, comparing the fast food chain's appearance to that of well known western shoe brands.
The shiny glass building, which is located in central Warsaw on the corner of Swietokrzyska and Marszalkowska streets, cost the American firm 1 million dollars to build. A supermarket next door has already been closed to make way for the forthcoming office block.
Currently, McDonald's has 338 branches in Poland. However, over the last few years, gourmet burger restaurants have become ubiquitous, echoing an international trend. (nh)