Score at the End of the Second Inning: McDonalds 2, San Francisco 1

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:35 pm by Mark D. Roberts

Score at the End of the Second Inning: McDonalds 2, San Francisco 1 2015-03-13T15:35:44-05:00 Mark D. Roberts

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

San Francisco was leading at the end of the first inning by a score of 1-0. I think San Francisco thought they had won the game, beating McDonalds soundly. But it turns out that there are more innings to be played, and McDonalds is leading at the end of the second.

Photo from WikiCommons

Let me explain what I’m talking about. I’ve been watching with interest a “game” going on in San Francisco, California. (A battle? A war?) The Board of Supervisors approved a city ordinance some time ago making it illegal to give away toys in children’s meals unless those meals met certain nutritional standards. These standards were drawn to make sure that McDonald’s could no longer give away toys in their Happy Meals. For kids, the meals would become toyless “Unhappy Meals.” Thus, San Francisco would be protecting children from the evils of french fries, fat, salt, and other dangers.

McDonalds actually changed the contents of its Happy Meals, lowering the number of fries and adding fruit. But, alas, these changes were not enough for the Happy Meals to meet the San Francisco standards. It looked like McDonalds lost the game.

But McDonalds wasn’t finished playing. According to an article in the New York Times, McDonalds adopted a new strategy. As of today, when the ordinance went into effect, McDonalds would take the free toys out of the Happy Meals . . . and they would sell them for ten cents. Moreover, to rub salt into San Francisco’s wound, McDonalds will donate the proceeds from the sales of the toys to San Francisco’s Ronald McDonald House, a charity that cares for families with children going through difficult hospitalizations.

So, by the end of the second inning, McDonalds pulled into the lead, 2-1.

But you can be sure that San Francisco isn’t done with the game. Notice what the Times reports:

Dr. Rajiv Bhatia, director of occupational and environmental health at San Francisco’s Department of Public Health, said McDonald’s strategy did not mean the ordinance had failed.

“We are going to learn from how the industry responds,” Dr. Bhatia said, “and do what’s necessary to improve regulation.”

You can bet that San Francisco will soon “improve regulation” to find a way to keep McDonalds from selling the Happy Meal toys. According to Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, McDonald’s new effort will “gut this health ordinance,” and “continue to seduce children to eat junk food.” He added: “In the battle over children’s health, consider this a win for obesity and diabetes.” Oh, and also families with hospitalized children. Ouch!

Actually, I don’t think there is a win here. The game isn’t over. Wouldn’t it be something if city leaders and McDonalds found a way to sit down and create a win-win solution? Ties count in this game of baseball.

Previous Post

December 1, 2011

Should You Ask Santa for a Tablet or an E-reader?

Next Post

December 2, 2011 Online Advent Calendar for Friday, December 2

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Advent Calendar Alissa Wilkinson Archeology Art and Faith Ash Wednesday Bible Books Business Business and Faith Christian Year (Liturgical or Church Year) Christmas Christmas according to Dickens Christmas, Culture, and Christ Christmas: Keeping Christmas Well Church and Culture Church and Ministry Church and Technology Church Life Church: What is a Church? Cities Code of Ethics for Pastors Contentment Creativity Cultural Commentary Culture Daily Reflections Dallas Willard Deliberating on Digital Dignity Easter Education Ephesus and the New Testament Ethics Eugene Peterson Evangelical Existential Questions Faith Faith and Work Family Food Friendship Fun Good Reads Gospel Centered Christianity Grace Handel's Messiah Harvard University Health High Calling History Holidays Holy Spirit Holy Week Hospitality How Does God Guide Us? Hunger Games Insights for Leaders - De Pree Center Inspiration from the High Calling Jesus Jesus: Following Him as a Disciple Jesus: Seven Last Words Jesus: Was Jesus Married? Jesus: What Was His Message? Jesus: Why Did He Have to Die? Laity Lodge Leadership Leadership Conversation Lent Les Miserables Life for Leaders Linda's Advent Doodles Linda's Lenten Doodles Living Well Loving Neighbors Max De Pree Center for Leadership Mental Health Mission of God and Missional Church Money Moral Dilemmas Mormonism Movies Nature New York City Pastors and Churches Pentecost Photos to Share Poetry Police Blotter Politics Prayer Preachers Portal Preaching Presbyterian Church Quotations Reading the Times Recommendations Reflecting on Technology Religion and Culture Ruminations Sabbath Science Seven Last Words Sexual Harassment Social Media Something to Think About Spiritual Warfare Sports Stations of the Cross Stephen Hawking: Heaven and Faith Stories Technology and Culture Technology and Education Technology and Mental Health Technology Bits Texas Thanksgiving The High Calling Thin Places Uncategorized Vocation Women Words Work Worship

Select a Month November 2018 October 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 March 2017 February 2017 December 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 April 2015 March 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 November 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What Christian group is known for its historic peace churches and pacifism?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Methodists Pentecostals Presbyterians Quakers