On Thursday, a new McDonald's opened at 8-A Peremohy Avenue in Cherkasy — the third in the city and the 128th in Ukraine. The dining hall covering approximately 480 m² and a terrace will accommodate nearly 300 guests; the establishment created 65 jobs.
Opening during war — not an exception, but a system
The Cherkasy restaurant is not an isolated event. In 2025, McDonald's opened 12 new establishments in Ukraine and renovated five existing ones. According to Vitaliy Stefurak, McDonald's Development Director in Ukraine, the initial plan for the year provided for nine openings, but it was adjusted to 11 — and ultimately exceeded.
In total, over 2022–2025, the company invested 4.84 billion hryvnias in network expansion and modernization. Only 2025 cost approximately 2 billion hryvnias — 11% more than in 2024.
«In 2027–28, we expect to accelerate network development to 15 new establishments per year. We see prospects for development in Ukraine»
Vitaliy Stefurak, McDonald's Development Director in Ukraine
Where growth happens and where it stalls
Alongside openings comes a limitation that press releases do not emphasize. 15 network restaurants remain closed due to security reasons: these are establishments in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Mykolaiv. That is, one in eight establishments is not operating.
The geography of expansion speaks volumes: the main growth is in the western and central parts of the country. 2025 was marked by the first openings in Zakarpattia Oblast — in Uzhhorod and Mukachevo. The first restaurant in Ukraine with a sustainable design concept opened in Lviv.
- 2026: at least 11 new restaurants planned
- 2027–2028: goal — 15 openings per year
- Currently closed: 15 establishments in front-line and affected cities
What does "65 jobs" mean in scale
One restaurant — 65 employees. If the 12 establishments opened in 2025 maintain similar figures, the network added approximately 780 jobs just this year. For comparison: McDonald's in Ukraine, according to the company, is overall one of the largest private employers in the public food service sector, and hiring pace is accelerating.
Cherkasy received its third establishment, which for a city with a population of approximately 270,000 means one McDonald's per roughly 90,000 residents — a density close to Central European standards for cities of this size.
The question is not whether the network will continue expanding — plans have been declared publicly. The question is different: if the planned 11 establishments open by the end of 2026, will the company dare to open the first location after deoccupation — in Kharkiv or Mykolaiv — before the official end of hostilities?
