Do you all think Mc Donald's will be successful in fighting this lawsuit? I think they will. I am surprised it has reach that far in court.
I remember forecasting this exact lawsuit immediately after the Big Tobacco lawsuit was settled over a decade ago. The toy is the nicotine. McDonald's is Big Tobacco. They know kids go crazy for toys, so they are responsible for the results. For tobacco, it is cancer and other health problems and for McDonalds it is fat kids. People thought I was smoking stuff at the time, but I knew it was just a matter of time.
However, there are a few problems with this suit. First, a happy meal is a small hamburger, small fries and a drink. The drink is the choice of the person ordering, so it doesnt have to be cola. In exchange, you get a extrodinarily cheap toy that is broken by the time you cross the plane of the front door of the store. The calories on this are not bad actually. Since you are actually in McDonalds, you were going to buy something...what were you planning to buy. don't tell me salads for the kids...not buying it. You are there to buy a burger or chicken and it is likely fried. Out of all of that, the little happy meal is pretty low on the caloric scoreboard at McDonalds. Secondly, who is paying for it...the kid? You don't want your kid to have a happy meal and you want them to have a quarter pounder instead...you can do it. Does the kid make all the dietary decisions in the household? Doubt it! Who goes to McDonalds for a fantastically healthy meal? Who thinks McDonalds menu is just ladened with healthy options with the exception of the evil happy meal - close your eyes when you see the TRIPLE QUARTER POUNDER WITH CHEESE. A happy meal has less than 600 calories... Lastly, you drove into McDonalds. By now, I think everyone knows that there is such a thing as happy meals. I don't think parents are surprised that happy meals are there again as they been there about 3 decades now. The advertizement didn't chase you...you knowingly walked into it, so don't cry about the results.
Insurance is too expense for almost all companies and they pay dearly for it and the cost is passed on to you. Lawsuits like this should be immediately smacked down and not rewarded.
Edited: Vincenzo on 21st Apr, 2011 - 11:28am
40% of McDonalds profits come from the sales of Happy Meals.