In a classic case of “what were they thinking?”, McDonald’s decided to add fitness trackers to their Happy Meals, promoting a healthy lifestyle alongside cheeseburgers and fries. It’s like offering a side of kale with a Big Mac—totally sends mixed signals!
The Step-It Activity trackers were supposed to count steps, but instead, one mom, Lisa Becker from Florida, claimed that the device left her child with a burn after just eight minutes of wear. “If your kids have this Happy Meal toy, toss it out! My son got burned from this thing,” she shared on Facebook, which went viral, racking up over 100,000 shares.
In light of the reports, McDonald’s quickly pulled the trackers from their locations in the U.S. and Canada. Company representative Sarah Jansen stated, “We took this immediate action after receiving a few reports of skin irritations related to the band. The safety of our customers is our top priority, and we’re investigating this matter thoroughly.”
Explaining the situation to my kids was a fun little moment. “Hey kids, remember those awesome step counters from McDonald’s?” “Yeah, we love them!” they chorused, excitement evident. “Well, we have to throw them away,” I announced dramatically. Cue the shocked gasps!
Last week was an unusually hectic one for our family, so we indulged in not one, but two trips to McDonald’s drive-thru for Happy Meals. Yes, I know, I should probably turn in my parenting card for that! The kids were thrilled, especially when they thought they’d be outfitted with enough fitness trackers for the whole family. Talk about a fail at healthy living!
My six-year-old insisted I wear the bright orange tracker to a movie night—how fitting that we were off to see Bad Moms. I donned it for the ride, but it quickly found its way into my purse, safely away from my wrist. Thankfully, neither I nor my kids suffered any burns from it; we didn’t take the fitness tracker too seriously anyway.
It’s tough to shake off the stigma of a fast-food joint. I don’t hit up McDonald’s for their salads; I go for the Big Macs and the occasional Shamrock shake. I know that real health comes from wholesome foods packed with fruits and veggies, but hey, I give McDonald’s an “E” for effort in trying to promote fitness in a Happy Meal.
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In summary, McDonald’s attempt to promote fitness through Happy Meal trackers backfired spectacularly, highlighting the dangers of combining fun and fast food in this misguided venture.