Twenty years ago, when the Soviet economy was practically falling apart and Russia was suffering acute food shortages, the first McDonald's opened in Moscow and offered not only a new kind of food, but also an unfamiliar and welcoming customer service.
Discussing the difficult times in 1990, Masha Lipman remembers: "People were basically hunting for food. If you were walking down the street and saw a line, you would stop, and forget about other doings to get at least something. Even things as basic as milk."