Tonight, Jakarta residents cheer on the closing ceremony of McDonald’s Sarinah

YAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Several Capital City residents cheered the area outside McDonald’s Sarinah to witness the closure of this fast-food fried chicken stall permanently on Sunday (05/10/2020) at 10:00 PM WIB.

This can be seen on the Instagram account @Mcdonaldsid, which broadcasts the closing moments of McDonald’s points of sale located in the Sarinah shopping center, Thamrin, Central Jakarta.

The live video shows McDonald’s management Sarinah giving a memory to one of the latest customers.

Also read: McDonalds Sarinah Assault Society for photos as souvenirs

Furthermore, they also symbolically closed the entrance door of the booth, as a sign of the end of the restaurant operation, forever.

“Right now we have reached the end of McDonald’s Sarinah Thamrin. A place of pride for all of us, a place where memories accumulate. But unfortunately we have to go. Close, Sunday (05/10/2020) night.

A number of visitors were seen animating the area outside the booth to witness first-hand the closure of the restaurant that has been operating for almost 30 years.

Also read: After 30 years, tonight McDonalds Sarinah officially closes its doors to its customers …

Although, the Capital City region is imposing a period of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) to break the Covid-19 chain of transmission.

Visitors cheered as they said goodbye to the closure of Indonesia’s first McDonald’s restaurant.

“See you soon, enthusiasm for the (McDonald’s) Sarinah team,” the visitors said and were greeted with applause.

McDonald’s is known to have first launched its fast food restaurant in Indonesia on February 22, 1991 in the Sarinah Mall building, Thamrin, Central Jakarta.

The director of marketing, digital communications and CBI McDonald’s Indonesia, Michael Hartono, explained that the closure of the first store was made at the request of the management of the Sarinah building.

According to him, the Sarinah administration will make changes to the business strategy and renovation of the mall building that is believed to be one of Indonesia’s cultural heritages.

“McDonald’s will officially close the restaurant in Sarinah Thamrin permanently on Sunday May 10, 2020 at 10:05 PM WIB,” said Michael in a written statement received by Kompas.com on Friday (05/08/2020).

Regarding the closure, Michael ensured that his group would retain McDonald’s Sarinah employees by moving it to other outlets in the Jakarta metropolitan area.