1990: Pizzastroika

Pizza Hut’s 1990 expansion into the Soviet Union serves as a case study for the intersection of Western corporate ambition and geopolitical upheaval during the final days of the Cold War. Driven by PepsiCo CEO Don Kendall’s belief in commerce as a diplomatic tool, the venture navigated extreme logistical hurdles, including sourcing materials from abroad and utilizing a complex currency-swapping system involving Soviet naval assets. The restaurants became potent symbols of American lifestyle and economic reform, attracting massive crowds despite initial competition from McDonald's. The operation faced significant challenges, ranging from corrupt local bureaucracy to the 1991 coup attempt, during which the staff famously provided food to supporters of Boris Yeltsin. Ultimately, the project highlights the volatility of the post-Soviet transition, as the restaurants eventually closed amid the economic instability and shifting political landscape of the late 1990s.