Syrian McDonald’s knockoff goes viral after US lifts sanctions

An Instagram video posted by a travel influencer with more than 25,000 followers showed the restaurant and was widely shared. The clip was described by some as documenting “the opening of Syria’s first McDonald’s branch.”

In it, the man says, “Guys, McDonald’s opened in Syria. Or not. This is the best McDonald’s I’ve ever been to. It’s so good it even has shawarma and other Middle Eastern dishes. But when you look closely, you realize it’s not McDonald’s — it’s MchDonald’s.”

Saudi-owned outlets Al Arabiya and Al Hadath clarified that the restaurant has no affiliation with the global McDonald’s corporation and did not open in response to Trump’s announcement.

According to the reports, the restaurant actually began operating several months ago. To avoid legal trouble, the owner made a small alteration to the name, switching it to MchDonald’s.

The U.S. sanctions lift triggered renewed attention to the restaurant, despite its quiet launch about seven months ago. The same city also hosts a knockoff KFC outlet — also unaffiliated with the American chain. Like the imitation McDonald’s, it uses similar branding and logos but serves shawarma instead of standard menu items like fried chicken.

According to SyriaTV, the owner of the fake KFC claimed to have received official franchise rights, but the company denied any connection, stating it has no operations in Syria. In that case too, a single letter in the name was changed to avoid litigation.

Trump’s decision to lift sanctions, announced during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, was met with widespread celebrations in Syria. After 14 years of civil war and economic isolation, many Syrians see the move as a turning point.

U.S. sanctions on Syria date back decades. They were first imposed in 1979 after Syria was designated a state sponsor of terrorism. Restrictions included a ban on arms sales, suspension of aid and heavy monitoring of financial transactions with Syrian government entities.

The sanctions intensified significantly in 2011 following the outbreak of the civil war and Bashar Assad regime’s violent suppression of protests. Additional penalties targeted critical sectors such as oil, gas, aviation and banking.

Syria’s new President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, addressed the nation following Trump’s announcement, saying: “Dear Syrians, we still have a long road ahead. Serious work begins today and with it, the renaissance of modern Syria. Together, we will rebuild a country of progress and prosperity.”