Economy, Services

During the Soviet period, the service industry employed only about 5 percent of the workforce. This sector of the economy remains largely underdeveloped. State-owned stores offering relatively low-quality goods predominate, although new supermarkets are opening at an increasing rate. Private stores are limited mainly to small kiosks, or free-standing merchandise booths, on the sidewalks. The number of restaurants in the major cities has risen markedly only in Minsk. The first McDonald’s fast-food restaurant opened in Minsk in December 1996, but investment by Western firms has generally been limited.