McDonald's Happy Meals for Children: Happier and Healthier
McDonald 's Healthier Happy Meals
In 2010 McDonald’s Happy Meals for children came under extreme scrutiny when parents, consumer-advocacy groups, and certain city councils deemed it to be inappropriate to lure children to such an unhealthy meal by including a free toy. In November 2011, the San Francisco city council decided to prohibit the addition of toys to meals that did not conform to specific nutritional values (Melnick, 2011). In July 2011 McDonald’s announced that they plan to provide their customers with a healthier option. In order to successfully make these changes McDonald’s hired a research group to conduct an extensive research and present them with a cost effective solution.
The Research Questions
The questions the company had to look into to resolve this issue was: * How can they make the meals for the children healthier while maintaining the convenience that fast food is known for? * How can they cut the calories from their existing meals? * How can they make healthy food desirable to children? * How can they keep these healthier options cost effective? * What would be the best marketing strategy to launch these healthier changes?
The Hypothesis
A hypothesis explores a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation (Merriam-Webster, 2013). In the exploration to raise a question and find an answer, the company has to face the question: how can they make the meals for the children healthier while maintaining the convenience that fast food is known for? Through the years McDonald’s has added a couple new features to their menu like a wider selection in desserts, a value menu, and select new refreshing healthier choices to their fast food chain. But the question now is, how can they further cut the calories from these meals? Yes, McDonald’s has gained a fine respect in the fast food industry for upgrading to healthier choices, but now the kids menu
In 2010 McDonald’s Happy Meals for children came under extreme scrutiny when parents, consumer-advocacy groups, and certain city councils deemed it to be inappropriate to lure children to such an unhealthy meal by including a free toy. In November 2011, the San Francisco city council decided to prohibit the addition of toys to meals that did not conform to specific nutritional values (Melnick, 2011). In July 2011 McDonald’s announced that they plan to provide their customers with a healthier option. In order to successfully make these changes McDonald’s hired a research group to conduct an extensive research and present them with a cost effective solution.
The Research Questions
The questions the company had to look into to resolve this issue was: * How can they make the meals for the children healthier while maintaining the convenience that fast food is known for? * How can they cut the calories from their existing meals? * How can they make healthy food desirable to children? * How can they keep these healthier options cost effective? * What would be the best marketing strategy to launch these healthier changes?
The Hypothesis
A hypothesis explores a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation (Merriam-Webster, 2013). In the exploration to raise a question and find an answer, the company has to face the question: how can they make the meals for the children healthier while maintaining the convenience that fast food is known for? Through the years McDonald’s has added a couple new features to their menu like a wider selection in desserts, a value menu, and select new refreshing healthier choices to their fast food chain. But the question now is, how can they further cut the calories from these meals? Yes, McDonald’s has gained a fine respect in the fast food industry for upgrading to healthier choices, but now the kids menu
References: Melnick, M. (2011, July 26). How McDonald 's Plan to Make Happy Meals Healthier. Time Health & Family. Retrieved from http://Healthland.time.com/2011/07/26/how-mcdonalds-plans-to-make-happy-meals-healthier/ Merriam-Webster. (2013). Hypothesis. Retrieved from http://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypotheses Tuttle, B. (2012, April 23). Why We 're Eating Fewer Happy Meals. Retrieved from http://business.time.com/2012/04/23/why-were-eating-fewer-happy-meals/