Preparations for the summer terrace season in the capital, which officially begins on May 1, should start in advance to ensure the smooth operation of terraces in accordance with legal requirements, said Yevgen Komarov, business developer and lawyer at GLOBAL LAW, in an interview with Poster Pos.
He noted that the procedure for submitting documents in Kyiv has changed significantly: from now on, it has been transferred to electronic format. The main change is the ability to submit documents through the new electronic portal “Kyiv Digital,” whereas previously this was done in person through the Administrative Services Center or its electronic office. The advantage of the new system is the ability to track all stages of the application and its current status in real time.
The lawyer emphasized that the process of reviewing and concluding a contract now takes place exclusively online and lasts up to 10 business days.
After signing the contract with a qualified electronic signature (QES) and paying the bill, the entrepreneur receives an information ticket with a QR code in digital form with the option to download it. The ticket is the official basis for the legal establishment of a seasonal site.
Instead of traditional diagrams or drawings on paper, restaurateurs must now draw the boundaries of the site directly on an interactive map within the portal.
To submit documents through the service portal, you must log in using a QES, fill out an online application, and upload the required set of documents in PDF format. The list of required documents includes a copy of the extract from the Unified State Register, an order appointing the director or the minutes of the general meeting, the head’s RNOICP, documents of title or a lease agreement for the premises, as well as four recent photographs of the location from different angles. If the documents are submitted by an authorized representative, a power of attorney is required. The applicant must also indicate the exact dimensions of the site, bank details, and attach a plan with a reference to the location and indication of the width of the passage for pedestrians.
Komarov also reminded about the important conditions for placing terraces. In particular, the site may only be installed near the facade of the establishment, and the minimum width of the pedestrian passage must be at least 1.8 m. It is prohibited to place structures on the roadway, lawns, closer than 20 m to intersections and public transport stops. The structure of the platform must be safe, easy to dismantle, and accessible to people with disabilities. Awnings and furniture must not cover the facade of the building or its decorative elements, and it is recommended to use natural materials.
It is prohibited to install stages, barbecues, and dance floors on summer terraces, and there are restrictions on loud music in residential areas. If the platform extends beyond the facade of the establishment, the owner must obtain written permission from the user of the neighboring premises.
Poster Pos is a Ukrainian restaurant automation company. It is the developer of an accounting program in the HoReCa system, which is installed on tablets.
McDonald’s plans to open 11 restaurants in Ukraine in 2026, according to Vitaliy Stefurak, McDonald’s development director in Ukraine.
“Next year, we plan to open at least 11 restaurants. And in 2027-28, we expect to accelerate the development of the chain to 15 new establishments per year. We see prospects for development in Ukraine, so we are working to gradually increase investment,” he told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
According to Stefurak, nine openings were planned for 2025, but the plan was adjusted. De facto, in 2025, the chain will expand by 11 new establishments, and three new and one renovated restaurants will be opened by the end of the year. Last year, UAH 1.8 billion was invested in the development and renovation of the chain, and this year, about UAH 2 billion.
In 2025, the company achieved its goal by opening restaurants in the Zakarpattia region, the last region where McDonald’s had not previously been represented. As for future locations, according to the development director, the focus will be on increasing the number of restaurants in cities where the chain is already present.
“Our priority areas for development are Kyiv, cities with a population of over one million, regional centers and their satellites (provided there is sufficient traffic), as well as locations on popular highways. Today, we are concentrating on central and western Ukraine,” he said.
He named popular tourist locations as one of the promising areas (at the end of 2023, the chain opened a restaurant in Yaremche). “We will have the final decisions on the development plan for 2026 at the beginning of the year, but I will lift the veil a little: yes, next year there may be new establishments in tourist centers in western Ukraine,” Stefurak said.
The first McDonald’s restaurant in Ukraine was built on May 24, 1997, in Kyiv. Currently, 117 restaurants are operating in Ukraine, while another 15 restaurants are closed due to safety requirements.
According to YouControl, McDonald’s in Ukraine received UAH 9.9 billion in revenue in the first half of 2025, which is 26.9% more than in the same period last year. Net profit decreased to UAH 845.314 million compared to UAH 874.762 million in the first half of 2024.
The owner of PII “McDonald’s Ukraine Ltd.” is listed as MCD Europe Limited (100%, London, UK).
McDonald’s Ukraine Ltd., which operates the McDonald’s fast food restaurant chain in Ukraine, opened a new restaurant on October 10 in the village of Lypyny (62 Okruzhna Street), at the entrance to the city of Lutsk, according to the company’s press service.
This restaurant is the 115th in the chain and the seventh to be implemented in partnership with AZK. The opening is part of the chain’s strategy to develop along highways. The new restaurant is located on the Lutsk bypass and at the entrance to the city from Rivne. It was implemented in partnership with WOG, which is under construction and will soon open nearby.
The restaurant, with an area of over 470 square meters, has 115 seats in the hall and another 134 on the terrace. McDonald’s is the third restaurant in the chain in the Volyn region, creating 60 jobs.
The first McDonald’s restaurant in Ukraine opened on May 24, 1997, in Kyiv. There are currently 114 restaurants operating in Ukraine, with another 15 restaurants closed due to safety requirements.
According to Opendatabot, McDonald’s in Ukraine increased its revenue by 30% to UAH 16.8 billion in 2024, and its net profit by 23.2% to UAH 1.6 billion.
The owner of McDonald’s Ukraine Ltd. is listed as MCD Europe Limited (100%, London, United Kingdom).
On Monday, September 29, the KFC restaurant chain opened its first restaurant in Ukraine with a menu based entirely on plant-based alternatives to meat at the Blockbuster Mall in Kyiv.
According to the company’s press service, the dishes offered are based on mycoprotein, an ingredient derived from a natural mushroom that is rich in protein and fiber, contains no cholesterol, and has a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to animal meat. The recipes also use dairy products and eggs, so the line is positioned as vegetarian rather than vegan.
The menu includes veggie strips, veggie burgers, veggie twisters, rice boxes, and salads with veggie strips. Some dishes are served in special “green” packaging.
The new restaurant design features green accents instead of the traditional red ones. The company emphasizes that the availability of the plant-based line across the entire KFC chain will depend on consumer activity at the pilot restaurant. KFC has been operating in Ukraine since 2012, and the Ukrainian KFC chain currently has over 60 restaurants.
Hesburger, the largest fast food chain in Finland, plans to invest more than EUR12 million in at least 10 new restaurants in the western regions of Ukraine over the next 5 years, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food has announced.
According to the report, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Oksana Osmachko discussed further ways of developing cooperation between Ukraine and Finland with Janne Harjunpaa, CEO of the Eastoffice of Finnish Industries, and Wanda Zamitska-Bergendale, CEO of Hesburger Ukraine.
“In March 2025, Hesburger made an investment of EUR 7.3 million, opening a production and warehouse complex for the production of cutlets and storage of products near Kyiv. The facility’s capacity is up to 6 tons of meat per day, and the expected volume is to serve up to 50 restaurants. Ten new jobs have been created,” the ministry said, adding that this initiative was the first Finnish industrial investment in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war.
The East Office of Finnish Industries is the official representative office of Finnish business, which serves as a coordination platform for leading Finnish companies to promote their interests, develop business ties and create a favorable environment for investment and commercial activities.
Among the main members of East Office are Kone, Wärtsilä, Fortum, Neste, Outokumpu, Valmet, Orion, Tikkurila, Metso and other key players in the Finnish economy. The total annual turnover of all participating companies is about EUR 50 billion.
The Finnish company Hesburger was founded by Heikki Salmela and his wife Kirsti Salmela and started its fast food business in 1966 in the town of Naantali.
Hesburger currently operates in nine countries and has more than 480 restaurants, including 269 in Finland, 64 in Lithuania, 53 in Estonia, 53 in Latvia, 32 in Bulgaria, two in Germany and one in Poland. In Ukraine, Hesburger currently has seven locations in Kyiv and Kyiv region.
In Finland, Hesburger employs more than 6 thousand people, while the total number of employees in the chain exceeds 9.1 thousand.
The Chornomorka fish restaurant chain has announced the opening of restaurants in the capitals of Lithuania and Hungary.
“We are opening new Chornomorkas. Even two: in Vilnius and Budapest! So if you like to fry fish, we miss you very much – join the team,” the chain said in a Facebook post.
According to its website, as of May, the chain operates 36 restaurants in Ukraine, Moldova, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Poland.
