Malta-headquartered McDonald’s operator Premier Capital plc opened two restaurants in Latvia, bringing its total investment for 2011 to €6.4 million.

This will be the first time that the McDonald’s brand in the Baltics will experience such expansion over a short period of time, the company said.

Last Tuesday, the company opened the first McDonald’s outside Riga in Daugavpils. Further plans for the greater Daugavpils area were announced at the opening of this restaurant, which has the first two-storey drive-through facility in Latvia, and is one of five drive-through restaurants to be operating in this area. It features a McCafe and a gym and fun room for children.

Latvia’s largest McDonald’s was opened in Imanta, Riga, in early November. Incorporating a drive-through service facility, it boasts a total area of 500 square metres and seats 121.

With the largest drive-through in Latvia and new optimised operations, it will ensure a faster customer service. Processes have been designed to serve an average one car a minute, translating into 1,440 cars over 24 hours. The restaurant also has a gym and fun area, and a birthday party room for children’s events.

Latvia currently hosts 10 McDonald’s restaurants, six of which have a drive-through area and three McCafe’s.

Premier Capital will be opening another restaurant in Riga in January and plan to invest a further €38 million to expand the McDonald’s brand to 35 restaurants over a five-year period between 2010 and 2014, ensuring high accessibility to the 22 million annual customers.