US fast-food giant McDonald’s is set to expand its presence in Ukraine by opening ten new restaurants in 2025, as reported by the New York Times.
The move will bring the total number of operational outlets in Ukraine to 120 – higher than before Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
McDonald’s recently launched a new outlet in the remote, alpine region of Transcarpathia, a mountainous province in western Ukraine.
The expansion signifies a positive economic trajectory for Ukraine, according to Viktor Mykyta, a top economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Overall, this indicates that despite the military actions, Ukraine’s economy is showing positive dynamics,” Mykyta told the New York Times. “If a business like McDonald’s can operate here, it shows any investors that they, too, can confidently work here.”
McDonald’s entered the Ukrainian market in 1997 with a restaurant in Kyiv. The company’s continued expansion offers job opportunities and contributes significantly to the country’s tax revenues. In 2024, McDonald’s paid more than $60m in taxes, making it the largest taxpayer in Ukraine’s foodservice industry.
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By GlobalDataAccording to the European Bank for Development and Reconstruction (EBRD), Ukraine’s economy is projected to grow by 3.3% in 2025. The Kyiv Independent had reported earlier projections above 4%, but factors such as rising inflation and economic challenges due to Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have moderated the forecast.
McDonald’s operations in Ukraine have faced challenges due to the ongoing conflict. In January 2025, a Russian missile strike in Kyiv damaged the country’s oldest McDonald’s. Frequent air raids have also affected operations, leading to the temporary suspension of breakfast services in many locations. However, in March 2025, the breakfast menu was relaunched at six outlets.
McDonald’s exited the Russian market in 2022, closing its restaurants in the country. Meanwhile, Ukraine has seen the return of Western businesses such as Ikea, H&M and Zara, which had suspended operations at the onset of the war.
