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No Phone Charging, Filming at Russia's Rebranded McDonald’s

A customer is seen in a newly opened location of the Vkusno i Tochka ("Delicious. Full Stop") chain in a former McDonald's outlet in Kamennoostrovsky Avenue. Valentin Yegorshin/TASS

The Russian company that took over McDonald’s restaurants has banned visitors from charging phones and taking photographs inside some of its locations, Russian media reported Tuesday.

The brand known as “Vkusno i Tochka” (“Delicious. Full Stop”) has posted written instructions about the restrictions, visitors at one location in central Moscow told the Podyom news website.

A screenshot of the rules published by the outlet lists “photographs and videos without management’s approval” and the “use of electrical outlets” as banned activities.

“The ban indeed exists, these are the business' internal rules,” a Vkusno i Tochka spokesperson told Podyom.

“It’s related to safety and [avoiding] other visitors from being photographed,” they added. 

“Of course, we won’t prohibit people to take photos or videos at the table, but if other visitors complain, we can take measures in accordance with the rules.”

McDonald's sold its 850 restaurants in Russia in May over the invasion of Ukraine. Among other issues, the new owner has been battling a reported French fries shortage

Fifteen of the rebranded "Vkusno i Tochka" restaurants reopened in Moscow in mid-June, followed by 200 more locations across Russia later that month.

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