25 years ago, the first Swiss McDonald’s opened in Geneva. A quarter of a century and n million burgers on, McDonald’s now has 126 restaurants including 64 drive-ins throughout the country. Clean, fast, family-oriented and alcohol-free, the familiar Golden Arch epitomises a whole style of life.

Why Geneva for the first Swiss outlet? The answer may lie in a phrase coined in advertisements by Geneva’s leading French-language daily, Tribune de Genève: ‘Genevans are like that’. The city has a well-earned reputation among Swiss for innovation, acceptance of the new, doing things ‘differently’.

Perhaps this is partly a result of Geneva’s cosmopolitanism and being open to international influences long before its neighbours. The presence of a large non-Genevan resident population (33%) has a marked effect on the city’s nature. The city has over 1100 restaurants featuring cuisine from around the world. The 183 nationalities registered here clearly have an influence.

Visit

Geneva - Birthplace of the World Wide Web: Link

Geneva leads Switzerland into voting by Internet: Link

US team identifies Geneva’s winning formula - Location, Language, Lifestyle, Labor and Laws : Link

Ideal business location at the heart of Europe: Link

E-business - Cultural awareness still counts – Geneva’s triple advantage: Link