McDonald's is removing cheeseburgers and chocolate milk from the Happy Meal menu — and parents are furious

pulse

February 15, 2018 10:18 PM

McDonald's has removed cheeseburgers and chocolate milk from the Happy Meals. Many parents are saying they aren't happy with the news.

The chain made the change to promote healthier options, and customers can still order cheeseburger Happy Meals by special request.
Customers cried foul, saying McDonald's shouldn't tell parents what to feed their children.

McDonald's has taken cheeseburgers and chocolate milk off the Happy Meal menu, and not everyone is happy.

The items were removed because of nutrition concerns in what McDonald's head of global nutrition told Business Insider was "a gentle nudge in encouraging more positive choices."

Unfortunately, some customers see it as a harsh shove in a direction they don't want. On social media they voiced their concerns over McDonald's playing a more active roll in their children's food choices.

Some expressed concerned, saying it was up to a parent to decide what a child should or shouldn't eat. They point out that though the chain has scrubbed up its unhealthy reputation from the '90s, it's still not a health-food restaurant, and people who choose to eat there are doing so with intention.

Others pointed to the nostalgia factor. The cheeseburger is one of McDonald's most iconic offerings.

The chain made the change, as well as adjustments to fry sizes included in Happy Meals, to try to make 50% of Happy Meal menu meals under 600 calories.

"With these planned menu updates, there will be average reductions of 20% in calories, 50% in added sugars, 13% in saturated fat and/or 17% in sodium, depending on the customer's specific meal selection," the company said in a statement.

This change affects only advertising for happy meals. The chocolate milk will return after it is reformulated to include less sugar. Customers can still order a cheeseburger if they ask for it.

It's more about the image of the brand. McDonald's has been on a health kick, shaking off artificial ingredients and other preservatives that go into the food. It's a bid to modernize how people look at McDonald's.

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