McDonald’s announces new Sad Meals

I think this is mostly about not being sued.

just like the sign in the window of every Mickey's telling us to be very careful with our coffee, because it is HOT and might burn us.

this shows how much they are trying to help us not make ourselves obese.

and then consult an attorney for it...

You are brilliant linkat!

Yeah, of Course the parents will many times end up just ordering some fries!
Soda and french fries are among their highest profit margin foods.

"They're Lovin' It"

You've got that right. They've been running a special here, which they first trotted out last year. All drinks for a dollar. Ha! Get the biggest coffee or soda they offer and they still make a profit--plus, they sucked you into the store.

I know I'm brilliant - brilliant people know this stuff.

I don't know if you all know this, but I did interview and was offerred a job at corporate McDonald's. I interviewed for this financial position where you basically review corporate stores and see where they can improve financially.

I turned it down simply because they were not going to pay me enough. They had a sr. level position advertised along with an analyst position, but they really only were looking for an analyst. They were hoping to promote within. My required pay was right along with the Sr. position, but too high for the regular old analyst so I turned it down.

From the research I did on the company - corporate side they seem to treat their employees very well - with good benefits and crap. And crap could possibly be free food -

I would have been brilliant at the job.

Mmmmmm. When I was twelve and thirteen, my friends and I used to go to Cooley's Cupboards in Evanston, Illinois. French fries, catsup (ketchup? I don't remember which name), cherry cokes from the fountain, and, I think, a jukebox at the table (may be wrong on that).

It didn't make me fat; I was a skinny kid.

I'm for McD's making some healthier choices available. Don't know that this recent change is an improvement. I guess good that it is available, but being able to just have the apples or the fries should/could be too. On whole wheat buns, good idea, but then again, I'd prefer choice. I have grown in the past few years to like a lot of whole grain breads (while still liking some hearthbread type white flour breads), but I still dislike miserable whole wheat buns as much as I dislike miserable spongy white bread buns. The level of improvement nutritionally from miserable white bread to miserable whole wheat bread is questionable to me, but probably somewhat for the better.

My bias: We had a McD at the end of out street for decades, and I stopped going there early on. Got even more irritated when they started to invade Rome, from my crabby point of view. Well, mine, and the guy who started the Slow Food movement, Carlo Petrini. However, I am still a sucker for Burger King's (basically crap) fish sandwiches, fries, and a coke. Go figure...

Yes, I would say so, too.

Plus, they need to keep in mind what their various competitors are doing. Subway, Wendy's, and Tim Horton would be an example.

Usually when one competitor modifies their menu, it's not too long before someone else does something similar.

that's me
I love those little bags of apple slices

I don't understand what the big deal is. It seems like there are two issues here.

1. That McDonald's is making a business decision designed to increase profit.
2. That outside groups are pressuring them to be more healthy.

To both of these, as my kids would say, "No DUH!". McDonald's is there to make a profit. And the purpose of outside "groups" is to pressure them into making changes.

What is the problem with either of these things?

I don't know how many of the people griping on this thread have young children. I do, and these changes will make me more likely to spend money at McDonald's where they will likely eat fewer french fries.

What's the problem?

If you don't want your kids to eat food that you believe to be unhealthy, don't take them to the places that sell it.

If your food preferences are in line with a significant segment of consumers, a business exists or soon will exist that will cater to you.

I've no problem with laws or regulations that prohibit McDonalds from advertising that their french fries are tremendously healthy for you, but it is not a given that they are not.

Obviously if you eat the super sized fries for breakfast lunch and dinner, you are going to have a nutritional problem, but the same can be said if your restrict your diet to green beans.

I don't know why McDonalds eliminated french fries from Happy Meals, but unless they have consumer research data that is entirely counter-intuitive, they will suffer financially if it was simply to placate their critics.

Business should be allowed to make stupid decisions too.

The underlying problem with this issue is that it is predicated upon a notion that a very large number of parents are either too stupid or too negligent to properly care for their children, and that the State needs to step in and protect them from Capitalism and moronic parents.

Even if you thought this was conceptually OK, why would you trust our government over parents?

I love this.

For the most part, the people who favor the State telling businesses what they can and can't sell go absolutely apeshit when the State (ie: Public Schools) tell them and or their children what they can or cannot do.

Tax them, regulate them, oversee them, and supercede their authority, but stay away from me damn it!

You are way off base Finn.

McDonald's is making a business decision. They want my business. I want to give my kids what they want while keeping them reasonably healthy. This decision is a win-win. I am more likely to take my kids to McDonald's when they make their branded package deal (which my kids want no matter what) a little healthier.

This is between a business and their customers. What's the problem?

In response...

But however, they're not.

kids still want happy meals, they want fries too.

many parents will buy the original happy meal, plus an order of fries.

pretty simple.

I wish a Tim Hortons would open down here.

I really like them.

I like that they offer simple things like soup and a roll, or a full meal. What more do you want?

Maybe they should add green beans to the mix.

AARRRHHHGGGG!

Ptu ptu ptu!

MMMMM Tim Hortons maple glazed raised donuts.

I saw/see nothing wrong with Finn's basic statement. The fact of the matter is that if you don't want your child eating unhealthy food then you don't bring them to a place that serves it.

What you are failing at here maxdancona is what you are actually doing to your child. It's all fine and dandy when you are there supervising what they can and can't have but what of when you aren't? You bring the child to McDonald's more often and then the day comes, you aren't there. There friends are all eating the Big Macs and getting extra large fries, your child now believes McDonald's has safe food and they want to be part of the crowd or they're just curious about these foods you've restricted them from.

This video following could be their future, because the nature of the human being is rebellion, tell us what we can't have and it's asking for trouble. Perhaps McDonald's would be better served by having 2 versions of the Happy Meal.

I'm not so much on maple. I like jelly donuts, preferably blueberry filling.

If I'm in a contemplative state of mind, give me a plain cake donut and black coffee every time.

Huh? When Wendy's bought Tim Hortons, they opened Tim Hortons stores all over the U.S. Course, they sold it off again, but the last i knew, there were Tim Hortons in the U.S.