McDonald's Comes to Borat's Home Country of Kazakhstan The grand opening generated a huge crowd, including the country's president
By Lindsay Friedman •
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There's only one way to describe the grand opening of a new McDonald's location in Kazakhstan: great success!
On Tuesday, the fast-food franchise added the Central Asian nation to the growing list of countries it serves.
Many people had never even heard of Kazakhstan until the 2006 release of the satire film Borat, which featured comedian Sacha Baron Cohen as the titular character.
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Kazakhstan originally banned the "Borat" until it discovered the film led to a major increase in tourism. The oil-rich country is currently in need of an economic boost, thanks to sinking oil prices. To a bid to combat this slump, it has actively courted franchises, The New York Post reports.
Which helps explain why the opening was so well received by locals. A huge crowd, including President Nursultan Nazarbayev, gathered to check out the 9,000 square-foot, $3.5 million restaurant that features more than 200 seats, self-order kiosks and a drive-thru.
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In December, Starbucks and French supermarket Carrefour also opened locations in Kazakhstan.
