McDonald’s Prices in the Soviet Union Are Going Up Again

Big Macs are taking an even bigger bite out of Soviet budgets: McDonald’s has raised its prices for the second time since opening in January, 1990.

The Moscow store boosted prices an average of 35% on Monday, six days after the government boosted the tab on food and other consumer goods by 250% to 1,000%.

At the official exchange rate, a Big Mac had cost $12.07 (seven rubles 10 kopecks). Now it costs $16.07 (nine rubles 45 kopecks). French fries jumped to $5.02 (two rubles 95 kopecks).

“We don’t expect to see much of a decrease” in customers, said Glen Steeves, operations manager for the Canadian-Soviet-owned fast food establishment. The restaurant, the largest McDonald’s in the world, serves 45,000 to 50,000 people daily.

“The line decreased yesterday, but the number of customers didn’t,” he said. Last week, lunch at McDonald’s often involved a two-hour wait. On Tuesday, the wait was 10 minutes.