McDonald's Downsizing

**jstar** · 03-03-2004, 10:55 AM

McDonald's to Dump Supersize Portions

CHICAGO (AP) -- Hold the fries - at least the super-sized version. In a sign of the times, McDonald's is getting rid of the extra-large portions that had become one of its signatures. The burger giant said it has begun phasing out Supersize fries and drinks in its more than 13,000 U.S. restaurants and will stop selling them altogether by year's end, except in promotions.

The company cited the need to trim a menu that has expanded in recent years and said eliminating super-sizing is only part of that effort.

"The driving force here was menu simplification," spokesman Walt Riker said after McDonald's disclosed the change in strategy in a brief statement late Tuesday. "The fact of the matter is not very many Supersize fries are sold."

But the downsizing of super-sizing comes with fast-food companies, especially industry behemoth McDonald's, under intense pressure to cater to Americans' growing preference for healthier food options.

The move is part of McDonald's "Eat Smart, Be Active" initiative, which it launched last year under first-year CEO Jim Cantalupo and U.S. operations chief Mike Roberts in an attempt to revive then-stagnant U.S. sales.

McDonald's added entree salads with great success last year and has been moving to provide more fruit, vegetable and yogurt options with its Happy Meals. But the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company remains a lightning rod for public criticism - and legal action - when it comes to obesity and other health worries.

Two lawsuits claiming McDonald's hid the health risks of eating Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets were thrown out in federal court in New York last year. An award-winning documentary called "Super Size Me" then reaped more unwanted publicity for McDonald's. The documentary, which chronicles the deterioration of filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's health during a monthlong experiment eating nothing but McDonald's food, won a directing prize at the Sundance Film Festival and is set for wide release this spring.

Riker said the phasing out of super-sizing has "nothing to do with that (film) whatsoever."

The company has called the documentary "a super-sized distortion of the quality, choice and variety available at McDonald's." It says the film is not about McDonald's but about Spurlock's decision to act irresponsibly by eating 5,000 calories a day - "a gimmick to make a film."

Richard Adams, a former McDonald's franchising executive and now an independent consultant for franchisees, said health concerns no doubt factored into the decision. But he said the company has been promising to clear up some of the "clutter" on its menu since adding a slew of new products in the late 1990s when domestic sales were flat.

"Now that sales have improved, it's easier to pull things off the menu," said Adams, who operates Franchise Equity Group. "When sales are declining, the corporation and the franchisees are terrified at the prospect of selling a few less 42-ounce drinks. When sales are on the upswing, it's easier to admit that you can't be everything to everybody."

McDonald's detailed the menu changes - quietly under way since January - in a seven-page memo to franchisees, obtained by The Associated Press. The elimination of the 7-ounce "Supersize" carton of fries is part of a switch from five size options down to three; the biggest will now be the 6-ounce "large" fries.

"The reason for reducing the number of fry sizes is to simplify operations and enhance our ability to deliver better service to our guests," the memo said, adding that the 7-ounce carton "will be eliminated as part of our healthy lifestyle initiative."

The other changes include making bagels an optional breakfast product, dropping 2 percent milk in favor of exclusively 1 percent and otherwise tweaking the size and choice of items in order to come up with a "core" menu that reflects customers' preferences.

Some customers had a mixed reaction to the news.

Jamie Cox, 19, dining at a McDonald's in downtown Chicago with his girlfriend Tuesday night, said he normally super-sizes his meal but usually throws out leftover fries. "It's a waste," he acknowledged. "Once they get cold, they're nasty. But we would die without the (Supersize) drink."

Another Chicago patron who likes Supersize, 21-year-old Ward Stare, said he could do without the extra-large portions.

"When you think about it, there's not much of a difference between the large and Supersize," he said. "You just pay more. ... I don't think I would miss it that much as long as you still get a good proportion of food."

McDonald's shares rose 4 cents to $28.46 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

---

On the Net:

www.mcdonalds.com

Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

**Vieope** · 03-03-2004, 11:03 AM

Everybody is concerned about that. I wonder why.

**DFINEST** · 03-03-2004, 11:27 AM

I'd like to supersize jstar

**zakk** · 03-03-2004, 11:35 AM

so?

its not like any of us here have eaten McD's in a looooong time.

they could eliminate 1/2 the menu and I couldn't care less.

Until they have a burger that rivals protein shakes in nutritional value, I'll pass

**Deeznuts** · 03-03-2004, 11:36 AM

Aw, my cheat days won't be nearly as fun any more.

**jstar** · 03-03-2004, 01:05 PM

How sweet Dfinest

I haven't eaten there in over 10 years and probably never will again. I just thought it was interesting.

Not that it's going to make any difference in the fight against obesity

**plouffe** · 03-03-2004, 02:41 PM

I know now instead of super sizing their fries, fat asses will just order two.

**Yanger** · 03-03-2004, 02:49 PM

^ haha... and they will continue to sue because they actually let them buy two instead of one. Jeez folks act like fast food is a controlled substance and need regulation on who they sell it too.

I live to see the day when an obese person walks into McD's and is told sorry sir, you've already had a few too many!

**HoldDaMayo** · 03-03-2004, 09:27 PM

back in my post high school days... 18-22 i used to order a double whopper and 2 large fries from Burger King, along with a HUGE coke!! and, I was slim with a decent figure... ahh... those were the days...

**djk80** · 03-04-2004, 03:10 PM

Any money says that they will keep the prices the same, they say they are making the smaller portions for "obesitiy" reasons, more like they just wanna have the portions smaller so they make more money....CAREFACE though i dont eat there

**Stickboy** · 03-04-2004, 05:29 PM

I don't understand the appeal of Micky D's. It's unhealthy, it tastes like shite, and the people you order from can't count.

**donescobar2000** · 03-04-2004, 05:44 PM

Originally posted by Stickboy
I don't understand the appeal of Micky D's. It's unhealthy, it tastes like shite, and the people you order from can't count.

**iMan323** · 03-04-2004, 05:48 PM

I love both McDonalds and BK...last time I ate at one was..oh..but 4-5 weeks ago. It comforts me to know that quality junk food is always available.

**donescobar2000** · 03-04-2004, 05:49 PM

Damn Id have a whopper before mc ds. Mc Ds is trash. Period!

**IronSlingah** · 03-04-2004, 09:53 PM

Geez man let fat people be fat less compettition for the rest of us.

**JLB001** · 03-04-2004, 10:01 PM

Craig thinks they should put a tax on fast food to go toward the health problems due to overweight people eatting their super sized portions.

**JJJ** · 03-05-2004, 02:08 AM

They did this here in Sweden about 6 months ago, but not cuz of health issues, it was cuz noone supersized their meals.

You Americans must be a greedy/hungry bunch, huh?

**david** · 03-05-2004, 03:20 AM

Two lawsuits claiming McDonald's hid the health risks of eating Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets were thrown out in federal court in New York last year.

Good, those case deserve to be thrown out!!!. Those people who eat it and then blame the company for their weight gain are morons! If they won then 90% of the world's population would WIN!! I can see it now in my mailbox. "Have you eaten at "fast Food central" over a course time period and gained weight bc/ you were mislead of it's health risk etc..

**Eggs** · 03-05-2004, 06:16 AM

Originally posted by JJJ
You Americans must be a greedy/hungry bunch, huh?

How many Swedes does it take to change a lightbulb?

Oh, about 5x more than Americans

Hey, dont shoot the messenger... they're your unions

Realistically, if a Swede was offered a million dollars JJJ, do you think they'd turn it down? The US has thrived in the past because of its competitiveness and because of many aspects of that "greed". We believe you should be compensated for what you do in life, and that those who innovate and make a difference should be able to profit from it and not be dragged down by having to pay for the masses. They can pull themselves up too if they so want.

I'm sure Darwin would approve

If you showed him socialism he'd probably start pulling his hair out. Not that there arent certain aspects of socialism that I dont like, but it really goes against any "survival of the fittest" occuring.

Regardless, I know you were joking in your post.

**Sapphire** · 03-05-2004, 06:24 AM

I love your patriotism Eggs!

**Eggs** · 03-05-2004, 06:36 AM

Well, I realize that the US has tons of problems... and I really wish that I could fix them, but its so easy for people to judge what our problems are without walking a mile in our shoes and to look at things as they really exist.

Most nations around the world love to point to the US and criticise us... but I'd like to think that we are alot more tolerant of their cultures than they are of ours. Constructive criticism and trying to help are great, but thats not really the case most of the time... and speaking poorly of something just to belittle it never helped it.

**JJJ** · 03-05-2004, 07:10 AM

Eggs you have waaaay to much spare time on your hands

About the lightbulb, lets see... one to hold the lightbulb and 4 to spinn the chair the "holder" is standing on...

**Paynne** · 03-05-2004, 07:46 AM

Looks to me like their just putting some healthy looking spin on their image. I guess they have to because of the bad press they get.

People will never change though. At the movies I watched a couple order a large coke(this comes in like a 2 amazing liter cup), and a large popcorn(trashcan size). They EACH ordered this. I'm talking 4 liters of coke and at least 3 gallons of popcorn. And when you buy this you get free refills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Spency234** · 03-05-2004, 08:12 AM

Originally posted by Eggs
Well, I realize that the US has tons of problems... and I really wish that I could fix them, but its so easy for people to judge what our problems are without walking a mile in our shoes and to look at things as they really exist.

Most nations around the world love to point to the US and criticise us... but I'd like to think that we are alot more tolerant of their cultures than they are of ours. Constructive criticism and trying to help are great, but thats not really the case most of the time... and speaking poorly of something just to belittle it never helped it.

I'm Canadian and even I am sick of hearing all the complaining about the US.

**IronSlingah** · 03-05-2004, 11:07 AM

The US is the best country in the world 90% of the rest of em are shit holes.

**Spency234** · 03-05-2004, 12:01 PM

Originally posted by IronSlingah
The US is the best country in the world 90% of the rest of em are shit holes.

And it's idiotic comments like that that aren't helping your country at all.

**IronSlingah** · 03-05-2004, 02:54 PM

LOL idiotic?

Is it my fault that most countries in the world are third world dumps and America is the most powerful and influential superpower in history?

Get your facts str8 before you make comments or it makes you sound like a moron.

**donescobar2000** · 03-05-2004, 03:26 PM

Please guys. This is a fitness board!

**Tha Don** · 03-06-2004, 07:57 AM

Originally posted by zakk
so?

its not like any of us here have eaten McD's in a looooong time.

they could eliminate 1/2 the menu and I couldn't care less.

Until they have a burger that rivals protein shakes in nutritional value, I'll pass

imagine that... the 'Protein Burger!!'

They could get some real lean beef n' grill all the fat out n' make a real burger for once! so it would be like 90% pure meat! rather than the usual 20% meat and 80% sat. fat burgers that they do

40g of Protein!
4g of Fat
and about 20g of carbs from the leafy salad and an optional wholegrain bap.

then i might start eating at mcdonalds again!

untill then i'm with you, i'll stick to my shakes, fruit n' cereal

peace

**donescobar2000** · 03-06-2004, 08:40 AM

I extremly agree. I wonder why they do not go that route. Cheap bastards!

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