These Countries Have The Strangest McDonald's Yet

In most of the world, dining in fast food establishments like Burger King, KFC, and McDonald's would hardly be considered fine dining. These restaurants are often run-of-the-mill and are just seen as something quick, cheap, and easy - if not unhealthy. The buildings themselves are boring and look like they have been mass-produced on an assembly line.

But that is not always true everywhere in the world. Famously when the first McDonald's opened in Moscow, following the collapse of the USSR, people were so eager to try out Western food and culture for the first time there were queues for hours stretching for blocks.

How McDonald's Is Perceived In Many Countries

While McDonald's operates its successful franchise all over the world, it doesn't operate everywhere in the world. It doesn't operate in countries with high instability or highly undeveloped where they can't be sure that their standards and supply requirements will be met. McDonald's has very strict food and service requirements and there are a number of strict rules that all McDonald's employees must follow.

Largest: McDonald's Is The Large Restaurant Chain By Revenue
Outlets: Mickey D's Had 37,855 Outlets in 2018
Nickname: They Are Known As "Maccas" in Australia and New Zealand
A BIG Employer: It is The World's Second Largest Private Employer with 1.7 Million Employees (Behind Walmart)
Requirments: McDonald's Has Strict Requirements For Which Countries it Chooses To Operate in

In Africa only about four countries in Africa who have McDonald's (South Africa, Mauritius, Egypt, and Morocco) - there are around 56 countries in Africa.

Africa: Only 4 of Around 56 Countries Have a McDonald's

Another factor is that street food and food from informal restaurants in many developing countries are often very cheap. Local food is often much cheaper than one will find in a McDonald's or other large franchise.

Expensive: McDonald's Is Often Expensive Compared to Local Food In Many Countries

For these reasons and others, Mcdonald's is often seen as a more upper-class dining establishment. It is sometimes a place that one can get away with taking a first date. It can even be a mark of pride that McDonald's has deemed one's country suitable for the franchise. And frequently the buildings are built to show it.

McDonald's In The Republic of Georgia

The Republic of Georgia is a small country in the Caucasus Mountains between Russia and Turkey. It is condemned to forever be confused with the State of Georgia in the United States even though there is zero connection (the State of Georgia is named after King George II of Britain).

Most (or arguably) all the McDonald's restaurants in Georgia (the country through this article) are impressive and large. But the famed McDonald's restaurant in the Black Sea beach resort city of Batumi just takes the cake.

Most Restaurants: 14,146 Outlets In The United States
First: The First McDonald's Opened in Georiga on February 5, 1999
Number of Restaurants: There Are 18 McDonald's In Georgia

McDonald's can be found in most of the larger Georgian cities, with the greatest concentration being in the capital city of Tbilisi.

The prices at these restaurants are cheap by Western standards but still expensive for many locals.

The Funky McDonald's Restuarant In Batumi

Batumi is a small and very funky city that one will just marvel at with its incredibly odd attractions and buildings (like an upside-down White House). So here the weird space-age Mickey D's fits in nicely.

Batumi: A Small Black Sea Resort City (and a Funky One)

The McDonald's building is built in a triangle. On the one side the triangle rises up from the ground and underneath it is a gas (petrol) station (the gas station is invisible to the Big Mac eating patrons of the restaurant). On the other side is the Maccas (or Mickey D's).

Gas Station: There Is A Gas Station On The other Side Of The McDonald's

Going inside is just as strange. There is an upstairs area and plenty of seating. That being said, the menu is typical for McDonald's (KFC in Georgia is more of a burger joint than a fried chicken joint). Some McDonald's - like those in Ukraine and Russia - serve alcohol and it is normal to go there to enjoy a beer on the street.

The exterior is covered by 460 glass panels and the whole building is surrounded by a reflecting pool. The interior dining area looks out to the reflecting pool and there is a large open-air patio with reclining walls of vegetation that was designed as an "ecological shield".

There are two McDonald's in Batumi, this one is the one on Khimshiashvili Street.