This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Rio de Janeiro • In a column posted Wednesday, I cited the five most interesting questions to me about how the Olympics would unfold.
No. 6 would be, "Why was I not told about McDonald's missing from the Main Press Center?"
Maybe that's not a question, exactly. But this is a major issue for me. I can deal with the absence of hot water in the tiny apartment I'm sharing with Tribune reporter Chris Kamrani and photographer Rick Egan. But you have to understand, McDonald's has been a staple of my Olympics experience since 1998. I would point out that this dependence includes some of the restaurant's healthier menu items. The point is, McDonald's has always been quick, reliable and fun – with teenagers from around the world brought in to staff the counter as part of the company's sponsorship of the Games.
Not so in Rio – even though McDonald's franchises do exist here, as I've seen a couple of them between the Media Village and the MPC. Food is available in a big tent just across from the MPC, including some 24-hour options that are vital to covering the Olympics. But it's just not the same.
– Kurt Kragthorpe