Fast food might soon come with a side of Pokemon - CNET

"Would you like Pokemon with that?" One day soon, McDonalds might ask you that question.

That's because Pokemon Go, the game that might now be more popular than Facebook, will allow companies to pay to have their real-world locations appear in the world of the game.

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The New York Times confirmed with John Hanke, CEO of Pokemon Go developer Niantic, that the game will include "sponsored locations" in the future.

In an previous interview with the Financial Times, Hanke merely hinted that sponsored locations might be a possibility, saying that companies could "pay us to be locations within the virtual game board" to increase foot traffic to their stores.

Which companies might be first? McDonalds seems a very likely candidate -- since references to the company and even an image of the McDonalds logo already appear inside the game's files.

Also, Gizmodo now has a single source who claims that McDonalds is not only a sponsor for Pokemon Go, but is set to launch that sponsorship in a single country in Asia soon -- and that every single McDonalds restaurant in that country might appear on players' maps as a virtual destination to visit and interact with.

Niantic and Nintendo didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Reportedly, some businesses are already cashing in on Pokemon Go simply by playing the game. They use an in-game object called a "Lure" to attract the virtual creatures -- and players looking to capture them -- to their restaurants and stores.

Or, at the very least, to stick around longer and create some buzz once they've got their order.