For many in Vietnam, the question has been fraught with impatience and even concern.
Why isn’t there a McDonald’s there?
Decades after the Vietnam War, and years after the Communist-run country re-engaged with the world, Vietnam will pass another symbolic milestone as a contributor to the global economy when its first McDonald’s opens next year in Ho Chi Minh City.
Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald’s Corp. already operates around the globe. Getting to Vietnam has taken a little more time, but there was little doubt one of the world’s most recognizable brands would take on another developing country with a growing middle class.
For Vietnam, McDonald’s Corp. is turning to a partner with a uniquely American experience: Henry Nguyen, a private equity investor with a medical degree and MBA from Northwestern University who worked at the Golden Arches as a teenager.