McDonald’s Happy Meal Ban Goes Through in San Francisco!

Corporate Accountability International Kids photo shoot

Corporate Accountability International Kids Support SF Ordinance

We’ve been covering the progress of the proposal to ban the inclusion of toys in unhealthy fast food meals (e.g. McDonald’s Happy Meals) in San Francisco for awhile now (see: McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys to be Banned in San Francisco? and Update on San Francisco Happy Meal Toy Ban).

The vote on this proposal was just the other day and the result is good, the Board of Supervisors approved the ordinance! However, there are still some concerns. Here’s the update from an insider, Markie McBrayer of Corporate Accountability International SF:

Two weeks ago, Supervisor Mar delayed the vote until November 2nd in order to gain public support and develop a solid implementation plan—it worked! The Board passed the ordinance yesterday. This measure is the first step in ensuring our children’s health isn’t being taken advantage of by predatory marketing.

This certainly wasn’t an easy victory, as McDonald’s fought it every step of the way with the threat of lawsuits and aggressive lobbying. Fortunately, the Board of Supervisors received a groundswell of citizen support for the measure and voted in favor of the ordinance.

However, Mayor Newsom has promised to veto the measure. The Board has the final vote next Tuesday to override the veto, but the Supervisors need to hear from citizens that there’s still massive support for the ordinance.

We will be sure to keep you updated if there is any more news on this ordinance.

Photo Credit: Corporate Accountability International SF (CAI-SF) via Markie McBrayer
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By Zach | November 4, 2010 | Uncategorized | 33 Comments |
  • http://Web chefboyrbb

    Do these people have nothing better to do with their time or their tax dollars. If you don’t want your kids to eat these meals, then grow a set and be a parent and so “NO” ! Why should everyone be denied something that they may want do to a few that don’t.

  • http://Web Redsnipet

    Why does it matter that a meal comes with a toy?? If you don’t want your kids to have Mcdonald’s than don’t give it to them! You are a parent, act like one. You dont always have to allow your kids to have fast food. Don’t use the toy as an excuse for you allowing your kids to eat fast food more than they should. Plus you could give them credit for adding apples, and other choices to the meal besides fries. But overall the decision is up to the parents. You can just say no to your kids..

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  • http://Web Trent

    What a shame. How about you hold the parents responsible for what their kids eat?

  • http://yahoo david walenski

    A question that is very troubling. Ban McDonalds happy meal toys but yet try to pass a marijuana bill where parents can grow it and smoke it around children. Yup makes alot of sense to me. I guess the children will be alive running around a little high is all. A friend of mine that lived in California who has since moved because there neighborhood reaped of marijuana and kids would go to school with the smell of it on there back packs and clothes. I guess there happy without the meals.

    • http://Web Steph

      Know your stuff. Proposition 19 never allowed people to grow marijuana or to smoke it around children. It specifically disallowed both. It allowed Californians 21 years old or older to possess small quantities of it. Anyway, it didn’t pass so it’s moot point now.

  • http://Web Meatball Jones

    Wow, what a sad world we live in. Instead of teaching parents healthy options and offering eating programs and resources to them, they have chosen to ban a toy in hopes that people will no longer buy a happy meal.

    I think more time and effort could have been used elsewhere.

    The goal of overcoming the Happy Meal and not allowing your child to eat such food should be a choice, not forced upon by a law. Is this still land of the free? I think not, but then again, these types of people DON’T want you to think at all… at least not for yourself anyways.
    Humans will never evolve at this rate.

  • http://yahoo Grumpy

    How completely goddam stupid. You dumasses in SF need to get a life of your own and quit minding everybody’s business. Friggin’ idiots. How about solving Cali’s financial woes instead, you know, something that actually makes a rat’s ass. Geez.

  • http://Web Terah

    Again another case where the government is taking the parental role out of the parents hands. If all parents would step up and be a parent then these laws would not be enacted and cause kids that only get these treats on a rare occasion to miss out.

  • http://Web Timothy

    That is just nuts! I don’t need some concerned citizen action group deciding what’s best for myself or my children. This is just more of the same. Government believes we are too stupid to think for ourselves and we would wander aimlessly around in life wondering what we should do next if it weren’t for them. No thanks! Liberty and freedom are way to valuable for me to ever live in San Francisco.

  • http://yahoo david walenski

    No happy meals less state tax dollars for California. Aren’t they the state with a huge large deficit in revenue. Won’t be long before the federal government will have control of this state. It will go into receivership

  • http://Web Sam

    This is a loser law just like the loser parents who don’t know how to raise a child. This type of parent should own pets only, no humans. Two words folks: Personal Responsibility. We need to DEMAND personal responsibility from everyone or we are doomed.

    Remember the lady who made millions from McDonald’s because she didn’t know that hot coffee was hot? No personal responsibility. Now, due to lack of personal responsibility they are being forced to run their business they way someone else wants them to run it. Very ‘California’ – not so much ‘American’.

    • http://Web shirley pie

      these people should not have pets. pets are a responsibility. pets need discipline as well as a healthy diet- i am sure my pet would love it if i gave her a happy meal- with or without the toy- but it is not good for her- i know people who give their pets unhealty fast food – it is their choice to contribute to a shorter, less healthy life for their pet.

      if someone can’t decide and enforce what is best for their child i wouldn’t want them taking care of an animal.

    • http://Web Dana

      These people are stupid and have nothing beter to do wih thier time. Fighing for heathier kids meals would make sense but fighting for no toys is just stupid.

  • http://Web dane

    Seriously, why do people always want to blame everyone else for their problems? Parents need to take responsibility for, what for it . . . their own kids!! Shocking I know, right. Teaching them how to eat properly, lead by example. Next thing you know you won’t be able to buy candy bar, soda or chips without a parent being there. Just like Marilyn Manson didn’t cause Columbine, McDonalds didn’t make your kids fat. You did by feeding it to them everyday!

  • http://Web rosalind

    Toys included in the happy meal are not the problem. Parents should take responsibility for what their kids eat. We cant blame the fast food companies cause we don’t have to buy the food for our kids. I don’t want my kid eating that and I don’t buy it for him. So who is really to blame for our kids eating unhealthy are the adults/parents. Toys do not cause our kids to eat unhealthy, if that’s the case then we may have to cut out birthday parties, whats next. Parents get a backbone and stop letting your kids control you and then you can say No when they want a happy meal.

  • http://Web Gramoffour

    This has got to be the silliest thing ever. What further “Rights” of a parent are next to be denied… I make hamburgers, fries [yes deep fried potatoes} for my grandchildren and did my children. NONE are obese; none are COUCH POTATOES; all are athletes. Going to McD’s was a treat. And that toy… I still have some of them in the toychest I keep for the kids. OOOOHHHHH bad grandma…..

  • http://Web saz

    how stupid could this be… Seriously can parents not say no to their children?? So every child have to go without because some parents dont know how to say no to their kids eating unhealthy all the time…..

  • http://Web JOE

    Its not what we eat that hurts us it is the lack of excerise. I ate the same foods as a kid as the kids today do. The only difference is when i would see my friends I either walked or ride my bike. Kids today use Facebook and other outlets to see/talk to friends and they never leave the desk.

  • http://Web Christina Bromley

    I heartily agree with all the responses. California, you are idiots. McDonald’s should stand up and fight this to the bitter end. Is this not America? Don’t take your kid there if you don’t want a toy, duh!!!

  • http://Web Jade

    Great..why not just remove all of the kids out of their homes too! More government in the lives of ordinary citizens telling them how and what to feed their kids. Lets just remove all of the prizes from Chucky Cheese too, and while they are at it, lets just take out Toy’s R Us!! Stupid Liberals in the lives of everyone but their own! They were probably eating a value meal when they passed this ridiculous law!

  • http://Web Harry Shaw Jr.

    This is so totally wrong. To think a community can dictate the way a private business, that is not breaking the law, does it’s business is a scary proposition. While I understand the reasoning, I believe a precedent has been set that could eventually lead to the end of private business as we know it Can you say CAPITALISM.
    Can u say USSR? If this community is “so outraged” why don’t they boycott the McDonald’s, I’ll tell you why, because they like it. They are too lazy to cook or don’t have the time, but God forbid they might have to give up their Big Macs or Quarter Pounders. Apparently they don’t have the stones to tell their kids no, so let the government be the bad guys and the parent’s get off scott free with their kids. I hope McDonald’s closes up all their stores in this and any community that takes such a Socialistic attitude towards private enterprise.

    • http://Web Terry

      all responses are negative to this ordinance, most eat a burger and fries, and dont want pot legalized..maybe McDonalds should just pull out of this community altogether, then these people would have to drive farther to get these not so good meals

  • http://John John Martin

    Parents are responsible for making healthy food choices for their kids. Not government and certainly not someone else just because they think they know better. What’s next!

  • http://Web Jetta

    When will you people mind your own business? Don’t want your kid to have McD’s, then DON’T GO THERE! Leave the rest of us alone!

  • http://Web Beth in T.O.

    As usual these people have nothing better to do then stick their noses in other peoples business. If parents want to buy their Child a meal with a toy in it, its is nobody’s business but their own. Why don’t they spend their time saving children who are abused or beaten, now there is a worthy cause.

  • http://freezer818.livejournal.com Freezer

    These guys do realize that if you take away the toys, parents will just order a la carte off the dollar menu that nearly every burger joint has, right? I can’t imagine this surviving the inevitable court challenge, should it survive the veto.

  • http://Web Michael

    It’s a topsy-turvy world! Another ridiculous illogical move like the prohibition. Some people just have too much time to stir shxt!

  • http://Independentvoter- Cale Flores

    Please leave the State of Missouri alone……. Thats where I live and I still enjoy the free right to eat as I please…… If your not going to CONTROL parents on how they raise their kids, don’t CONTROL what they are able to feed them…..

    Free Country? Let us make the choice then.

  • http://Web John

    This is the City that wanted it’s schools to teach “Alternative Lifestyle Choices” because they have/had a lesbian in charge of the school district. That didn’t go so well, as I recall. So I’m guessing that this Lesbian group finds it offensive that a “Happy Meal” comes with a toy already inside. Hmmm… Perhaps they wanted the job that they live by. Putting toys in the “Happy Meal”. LMFAO!!

  • http://Web Amy I

    As a public health professional, I completely support the larger goal here – to improve access to healthy food for everyone and to decrease the ever-growing rates of childhood obesity. However, this measure will not do much to meet these goals. Why not use evidence-based techniques to improve access to healthy food by offering tax incentives to businesses who sell X% of fresh food items as has been done in Philadelphia, NYC, and Chicago? There is no money set aside for funding an evaluation of this initiative either – the politicos are simply trying to push an initiative that might sound good, but it doesn’t have any strong evidence base to back it up.

  • http://thefoodrebel.wordpress.com Zach Gerstein

    Read my open letter to the SF Board of Supervisors at: http://www.thefoodrebel.wordpress.com

    This toy-ban was passed under the guise of childhood obesity legislation. Our kids will still be obese, just without toys. This sheepish legislation will do little to curb childhood obesity, it will only force fast-food chains to invent new marketing techniques. What we need are strict regulations regarding food, not rules about toys that accompany food.

    It’s not the kids who choose to eat fast-food, it’s the parents, and they don’t care about the toys. Parents choose fast-food because it’s fast, cheap, and convenient, not because their child gets a plastic choking-hazard souvenir. Honestly, the kids couldn’t care less. That smile on their face is not from the toy, it’s from the sugar in their food. Take away the toy and they still smile. Get it? IT’S THE FOOD.

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