San Francisco Bans the Happy Meal
 

So McDonalds is facing a challenge in San Francisco where they are banning the giving away toys with meals since its believed that the toys are enticing kids to eat more from McD's which don't fit nutritional requirements. With obesity a "growing problem" (lolol pun not intended) in the US as well as Canada, do you think that this is a step in the right direction or should retailers/restaurants/other businesses be allowed to freely sell products of their choice to their consumers? Personally, I think its great for society but unfair to these restaurants. Just curious what revscene's thoughts are on this?

more info here:

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/11/03/...#ixzz14F1gKLi0

so does that mean you can't go there and ask for "a hamburger, small fries & small coke" lol

America is the country of freedom, what the fuck are they doing getting involved in our every day decisions like eating fast food. Obesity is a problem not because of the food available, its because of the people.

The problem of child obesity extends beyond McDonald happy meal toys, but I have to say it is a good start.

maybe they should look at the parents not the children. It drives me crazy when everyone is blaming the fast food chains when it seems this day and age the parents are either too busy to cook or don't know how to do anything then warm up the oven and toss in the pizza.

If you don't teach the parents it won't make a difference what rules they come up with.

lol.. the food available is a HUGE part of the obesity problem. a lot of the cheaper foods people have to resort to, who can't afford the more expensive fruits, veggies, and higher quality meats, are the ones with all the preservatives, synthetic additives and high caloric/fat content

of course you could argue these same people could exercise, but when they're working 2 jobs and taking care of kids, who can blame them for not finding the time?

edit: ludepower, you're a moron

2 things I wished schools were to drill into a young persons mind:

Good driving habits, and nutrition.

Instead of telling kids that McD is bad for them, make them understand from a young age what makes it bad.
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Knowledge is power! Maybe its better to do a mandatory health course in elementary to high school instead, you can take the fat out of the food, but you can't take the fat out of the person unless they are educated about it. People needs to take more responsibility in the choices they make, instead of blaming the choices that are presented to them.

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/2313/rtr2fkeo.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_K-O1trBYRe..._8286800_n.jpg

I agree,
It can be a difficult for some to make healthy choices when looking for a quick meal though. Even today when I was heading home I wanted to stop somewhere quick and grab a bite. There are so many shitty foods around us that its can be hard to separate the good from the shitty.

Settled for Pho. lol

Sucks for kids in San Francisco!

McDonalds marketing is geared towards children. Getting customers for life is their goal.

Happy meal - kids like toys
Ronald McDonald - kids like clowns
Playplace - kids like to have fun
and those other mascots they have those weird looking things. I forget what they are called.

If they are gonna scrap the happy meal they should scrap ronald, the playplace and everything else.

However, IMO, McDonalds isn't the problem. It's the people like someone else mentioned.

I hate how the media always picks on the biggest corporation or body. Sucks to be McDonalds shareholders.

what about the hamburglar? are they targeting thieves?

:troll:

the supply is there to meet the demand.

That image made me hungry =S

Now the kids can settle for a big Mac meal :)

ban coca cola , chips , candy

Giving your kids happy meals is the wrong decision. Whether or not you have the right to make that decision is irrelevant in comparison.
and since when did people start feeling sorry for mcdicks.

sad

You idiots haven't figured out that McDicks has brainwashed their parents already. Can't blame the parents now, let's blame the grandparents... How long has McD been around now???

Problem? What Problem?

This isn't entirely true. Sometimes buying fast food is cheaper than going to the super market and buying stuff to cook.
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The problem with that is, everything taught would have been wrong.

just hit the gym you fat shits, the occasional big mac wont hurt lol

The problem is that by putting toys in it and putting it in a colorful bag it makes it look less threatening than it is. A chef I know explained to me that 'kids menus' in general are one of marketing's best inventions and nutrition's worst advesaries. And if you look on kids menus even in resterants they tend to be filled with the most unhealthy options that resteraunt has to offer (chicken strips, hamburgers, greasy cheese pizzas).

Many are getting better and offering differant choices of sides and such, but so long children (and parents, we grew up on kids meals too if we were raised in north america) are engrained with the notion that hamburgers and fries are kids fare that's what they'll continue to choose.

It's a cycle that has to be broken, and it's a greater problem then just the parent and child in question as here in Canada, you and I are going to be paying for the health care for the fat kid that's diabetic at 10 or 12 because of what they've been eatting. From that perspective it is everyone's problem.

I don't like banning anything but I think forbidding the toys to be packaged in with the meal and the distractingly colorful packaging is a step in the right direction in this case. I wish they'd do the same here.