Blue Suede Burgers

MCDONALD’S GOES GLAM WITH A GLITZY NEW STRIP-SIDE LOCATION

In Las Vegas, just about anything can be made into an Elvis attraction, be it a wedding chapel, a wax museum — even a Cirque show. Yep, it seems Vegas and Elvis go hand in hand, so what’s next? An Elvis-themed cocktail? No, wait, they’ve got that. Elvis video slots? Nope, got those, too. How about an entire Elvis-themed casino? Sorry, that one’s in the works.

The latest company to “go Elvis” in Vegas is McDonald’s, which recently opened an enormous franchise location, appropriately called Viva McDonald’s, on the Strip just south of Circus Circus.

Although there is little that directly links the king of rock ‘n’ roll to the beat of the meat here, an Elvis look-alike did make an appearance at the restaurant’s opening in early December. It’s still the Golden Arches you’re used to, just decked out in a rhinestone-studded spandex jumpsuit.

What you do get for your dinner dollar, however, is a cleaner, brighter, bigger, better and more modern McDonald’s. The bold design scheme transports guests to Hawaii with banner-sized renderings of tropical flora hanging from the cathedral-like interior spaces. Elsewhere, beyond a maze of clean-edged counters, guests will find bright saucer chairs, textured walls and sunlit tables each garnished with a splash of color in the form of fresh flowers in a glass vase. (Wait, this is McDonald’s we’re talking about here, right?)

You’ll forget you’re in America’s favorite fast-food emporium as you sit on ruby red, cushy leatherette seats sipping espresso libations from the McCafe, checking your e-mail on the free WiFi and watching streaming content on flat-screen television panels.

The cavernous quarters — it’s the largest McDonald’s in the state — are big enough to seat some 200 people in comfort, and no matter what time of day it is, there is always something to watch. Floor-to-ceiling windows two stories high look out onto the neon of the Las Vegas Strip. And the restaurant’s central media center, a ring of 14 flat-screen televisions mounted on a circular rack suspended from the ceiling, constantly plays the McDonald’s Channel — a family-friendly station featuring content from the Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet and the Science Channel broadcast in three - to five - minute vignettes.

Viva McDonald’s
2896 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
(across from the Riviera)
702.732.3200