Do your children love hitting McDonald’s for their weekly Happy Meal, adding to their collection of toys and collectibles? If you live in San Francisco, this popular activity is no longer an option. After weeks of debating the topic, the San Francisco board of directors has taken steps to ban the sale of toys with fast food kids’ meals.
From the Chicago Tribune:
“Under the ordinance, scheduled to take effect in December 2024, restaurants may include a toy with a meal if the food and drink combined contain fewer than 600 calories, and if less than 35 percent of the calories come from fat….
The ordinance also would require restaurants to provide fruits and vegetables with all meals for children that come with toys.”
By using these guidelines, the typical McDonald’s Happy Meal, consisting of a cheeseburger, small fries and small soda, would be included in this directive, as it contains 590 calories, with 210 of those calories coming from fat. The 6 piece McNugget meal would be similarly affected, as the meal contains 620 calories, with 260 of them coming from fat. Many of the meals, such as the Mighty Kids meals (larger child-focused meals sold with double cheeseburgers or extra nuggets) would be disqualified even if the fries were substituted with the apples option listed on the menu.
An unnamed representative for McDonald’s was quoted as saying, “We are extremely disappointed with today’s decision. It’s not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for…. Public opinion continues to be overwhelmingly against this misguided legislation… Parents tell us it’s their right and responsibility — not the government’s — to make their own decisions and to choose what’s right for their children.”
via consumerist.com
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