San Francisco vs McDonalds, McDonalds wins
 

City of SF: "We are the Nanny City and we think selling fast food to youngsters is terrible. So we are targeting one in particular, the Happy Meal. From now on, you cannot include a free toy in any meal with over 600 calories that does not include fruit or vegetables."

McDonalds: "OK, we will now sell the Happy Meal without a toy. And because the Toy is so popular, we will also sell a Toy for ten cents, proceeds to charity."

City of SF: "Great victory!"

McDonalds: "Oh and one more thing: you can no longer buy a Toy separately. You can only buy a Toy if you also buy a Happy Meal. We think we will sell more Happy Meals than ever. Thanks SF!"

City of SF: "What?"

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/...alds_outsm.php

Ha Ha Ha... Did that really happen? Is that what the McD's are doing?

eta - just saw the link. oops

So you used to be able to buy the toy alone for $2.18. And the cost of a happy meal is $2.99 (or now $3.09, with the 10 cent surcharge.) So were they drastically overcharging for the toy, or is a Happy Meal's food content really only worth 81 cents?

Regardless, I do not buy the idea that there were lines of parents driving through just to buy the toys by themselves. What was happening was fatass children were buying adult-sized meals, and also getting a toy. So now those fatass children will have to make do with less food, or eat two Happy Meals. They'll still be fatasses, either way.

San Francisco went about this the wrong way. You can't legislate against a massive corporation from the bottom up.

They should make everything smaller in McD's, starting with the seating.

"Sorry kids, we can't fit in there. Let's take the jumbo van to that new Salad Bar restaurant, at least until we can fit into McD's again."

This is why laws are a thousand pages long.

Maybe they should set a legal definition for meal. Something about a meal having actual people food in it? ;)

You mean like Soylent Green?

Man, a happy meal is almost $6 over here, regardless of whether you get the toy or not!

I was thinking the same thing, Ali.

We have only been to Macca's twice since we have been up here, because;

a) 2 x 6 nugget happy meals, a snack wrap, a mcchicken meal and 2 sundaes = $30+ and the kids are still hungry, and the food is crap (mcchicken is for me, but they eat my chips)

b) Maddigan's cook fresh local seafood and supply 2 x serves of fish, with chips and salad for $9.50. 2 of these packs feed me and the kids and they arent hungry afterwards. If they are, theres an ice creamery right next door...still under $30 and much tastier food.

holy crap!!! 30+? really?

actually i can see that. spent $15 in paris on a big mac fries and a beer back in '94

Yea! Gobberment is here to save us!

I agree, the government policy of low-quality food subsidies were intended to save us, but it has proven itself to be a huge mistake.

Pity the silly local government that attempts to resist the FED-CORP food machine. Soylent Green is corn-finished people!:eek:

"... and in Paris, you can get a beer in McDonald's. An you know what they call a quarter pounder in Europe?"

Man, you ARE bad-ass.

No one is forcing you to buy your kids a Happy Meal.

I don't know. I didn't go into burger king.

While San Fran is fighting the fight the wrong way at the wrong level surely you can see that Federal subsidies whether in Agriculture, Energy, or Banking will lead to concentrations of power and a less flexible economy more given to mass disruption. Corn as a safety net to avoid widespread hunger would seem to be a good idea, but we need to reflect on the true cost.

I would agree completely. The problem is Congress, IMHO, not the corps. If our elected members would begin to do the hard work for the people and stop voting for special interest campaign contributors something may eventually change. Corn is a perfect example, generally speaking, as is ethanol.

Corn is the worlds largest crop. Less than 1% of the corn grown is eaten by humans as corn.

But they are using my money to make Happy Meals cheaper for other people. I'm against that.

FTW

Well put.

Its the democratic way. :)

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JUST KIDDING!