March 13--McDonald's All Day Breakfast is headed to the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The world's largest burger chain is expected to officially unveil Monday the opening of a restaurant in the international zone of the Olympic village and a dessert center, an operation unique to Brazil, in Barra Olympic Park.
The restaurant will serve a standard global menu with some Brazilian specialties, including pao de queijo, a small baked cheese roll that's popular in the country as breakfast and a snack. Breakfast will be served all day, a first for Brazil. All Day Breakfast is currently available in the U.S. and a few international markets. The international zone is a central gathering spot open to those who are staying at Olympic venues, including athletes, their families and the media.
The dessert center will be open to visitors in Barra Olympic Park and carry the McFlurry and other treats. At the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, McDonald's built two 24-hour restaurants in the athletes' village and main media center.
There are 33 existing McDonald's in the area where the Olympics are being held and nearly 100 citywide, McDonald's spokesman David Zlotnik said.
McDonald's is one of the Olympics' biggest sponsors. McDonald's first became the official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team in Montreal in 1976.
Oak Brook-based McDonald's is also expected to announce on Monday the extension of its Olympic Kids program, which will bring nearly 100 youngsters from all over the world to Rio. The group of 8- to 12-year-olds from 18 countries, selected by in-country promotions seeking children that "embody the spirit of friendship," will participate in the opening ceremony for the first time in Rio, McDonald's said.
sbomkamp@tribpub.com
