San Francisco is usually a laid back kind of town; hipsters, peaceniks, folk singers, stoners, and whackos, all living together in perfect harmony.
But on Tuesday, San Francisco passed new legislation that isn't so lovey-dovey, at least not for local fast food restaurants.
"Kid's meals" can no longer be sold with toys unless they meet specific nutritional standards; standards that may threaten McDonald's Happy Meals.
On Tuesday, with a veto-proof vote of 8 to 3, San Francisco officials passed a law that would allow restaurants to give away toys with kid's meals only if the meals have less than 600 calories, contain fruits and vegetables, and include drinks with no excessive fat or sugar. The law takes effect December 1, 2011.
The first thing that comes to mind is McDonald's Happy Meals. Since 1979, when Happy Meals were first introduced, McDonald's has used the kids' meal, specifically the free toy, to directly market to kids.
McDonald's might not state it that frankly, but come on, we all know what those cheap plastic "made in China" toys are really for - "Mommy I want McDonald's!"
Here's a Happy Meal commercial from 1979, in Klingon:
San Francisco officials say the law is designed to help combat childhood obesity; hard to argue against that. But McDonald's isn't happy about it. A spokesperson for the company said they are disappointed with the new law, and called getting the free toy in a Happy Meal "part of a fun, family experience."
No doubt, a law like this is one of those evil "progressive" initiatives so many Americans are scared of. And yes, it is very big brother-ish. And yes, it is the government putting the screws to private industry. But, are there any other solutions out there? We have a lot of fat kids! Just look!
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