SubscribeMcDonald's Gyms
McDonald's are slowly adding gyms to their restaurants. The second "R Gym" opened in California, replacing the kids play area.
"We wanted to figure out what today's kid wants and needs," said Richard Ruby, the owner/operator of the McDonald's franchise on Whittier Boulevard... "We already know they can sit and play Nintendo forever. But what if they could operate an exercise bike to play it? (via)Calling the area a gym is clever branding - the area contains basketball hoops, stationary bikes (with video screens) and an obstacle course.
It's an admirable move by the fast food giant that already offers a large range of healthier food alternatives. However the irony is inescapable - McDonald's is about selling burgers - not increasing fitness.
One press release points out that each R Gym contains a "Parent Zone which features comfortable seating and provides an excellent monitoring area for their children;". Maybe as parents we spend too much time enjoying "comfortable seating" and not enough time acting like kids... shooting hoops and clowning around on obstacle courses...
On a final note comes this McDonald's billboard in Chicago - a very clever idea that features a sundial. The McDonald's arches will highlight different foods at different times. I can't quite make out all the breakfast items - but there sure are a lot of them.
Nice billboard - unfortunately it doesn't stop most of the food from tasting like cardboard.
McDonald's should be making its play structures more adult friendly, anyways. How else are you supposed to play with your kids if you have to be under 4'5" or whatever to go in? And isn't it kind of weird to have exercise bikes at a McDonald's? That's a little out there...I could see shooting hoops or playing tag or hopscotch or whatever, but not having your kids work out on a stationary bike at a place that's supposed to be fun. It's a good idea though...needs a little fine tuning.
ReplyThat is really cool that they are doing that. I don't eat a lot of fast food but I don't fully blame them for kids being overweight. I blame kids not exercising and doing as much physical activity as they should. I like the direction McDonalds is going though.
ReplyStationary bikes??? They won't last!
If it was just a matter of calories - fine. But this is highly processed, messed-with food!
ReplyInstead of adding gyms,mcdonalds should lessen the portions and the fat which the fast food contains.Parents are responsible for kids' fast food consumption.Mothers should cook.
Reply"mothers should cook" - derin
Fathers should cook as well. Parents (moms, dads, guardians, grandparents) in general should be taking care of their children.
ReplyThanks, Dan- you beat me to it.
ReplyI agree with a number of the commenters. If McDonald's really cared about its customers, it would stop selling gallons of sugar-loaded soft drinks and high-calorie fries and sandwiches.
ReplyPromoting physical activity for kids is a good idea but they should also be shown which fast foods are the best choices. In other words, French fries should be avoided or drastically reduced.
Also, burgers and sandwiches should not contain dressings or sauces. Other good choices are salads and vegetables (without creamy dressings).
Keep in mind that obesity and blood cholesterol levels in American children have reached alarming levels.
ReplyI don't get people who freak out on McDonald's.
This is a good move. Do you expect it to be altruistic?
McDonald's is a company. It exists to make a profit. If it weren't profitable to sell the kind of food it does, it would not.
Burgers should or should not contain? No, McDonald's should offer what they can sell. It is the individual's (or the parent's for small children) responsibility to monitor their intake and see if anything can fit in.
Why do people expect large corporations to owe some sort of altruism to the public? A local greasy-spoon diner doesn't get people up in arms... McDonald's is a company just like that.
ReplyThey need more equipment for adults too. If only their customers will use it.
ReplyPeople who buy from them want cheap not healthy. I wrote an article on it about how more fast food places should have lean value menus.
Of course more parents should cook and more families eat together but some places McDonald's is the healthy option. Save a lot has helped with this,
but some places it's McDonald or candy and a bag of chips.
no lie...this is the funniest thing I have heard of in a while.
ReplyI know for sure it wont be around for very long or in many area's, sounds like a place that probably has the financial means to afford that expensive stuff anyway.
cant wait till they open the frist "Mc-gym" with olympic sized frying pool!
=D
To complement their "healthy lifestyle" thing, McD's should definitely have some more healthy options for happy meals. Like mini bags of apples or cups of applesauce instead of fries or little bags of carrots and dip or something. Wendy's has something like that...they offer healthier sandwiches and different sides that are a lot more healthy than a burger and fries. I mean, they could still sell the original Happy Meals for those kids/parents out there that want that stuff, but there are a lot of parents out there that really do want their kids to eat healthier.
Reply"They need more equipment for adults too." - iportion.
Why should a restaurant, even the evil McD's, need to provide a gym for any of their diners? It's madness. I think it's great that they provide any type of activity to keep the kids occupied, but the adults ARE NOT going to McDonald's for a workout.
ReplyI am absolutely roaring about the irony in this whole situation... I just returned from a trip where we stopped at McD's for a meal or two while on the road. They are, at this very moment, running a promotional game in conjunction with a certain pirate movie. What's the point? At the very same time that McD's is boasting that they are getting "healthier", the ONLY place you can get their game pieces is on the Big Mac, and SUPERSIZED drinks and fries.
Hmmmm.... I smell a rat.
ReplyI don't see the point in it at all. A gym of any size, be it for adults or kids, will not be helpful in offsetting anything more than a few calories from that 2/3-of-your-daily-allowance meal. Why? The calories burned on those weak "excercises" are miniscule. Ok, so they might burn 100 out of the 1000. Wow. What progress. You'd have to camp out in the gym for at least an hour. I don't think the managers would approve of people taking up paying-customer space just so you could get a free run in a gym. McDonald's needs to just stick with the ultra-fattening foods (after all, that's what made them popular) and the adults need to figure out how to burn off the calories. If people are concerned about the weight gain and the ability to burn it off -- they shouldn't go to McDonald's!
Laura: I'm with you on that one. The game pieces should be available on the standard medium sizes. Instead, they put it on the large ones to entice people to buy them. That is definitely counter-productive.
ReplyHeather, you are SO right! McDonald's (and fast food in general) should not be a common occurrence! An occasional McDonald's indulgence is fine, and who cares how crappy the nutritional content is? It tastes pretty good, just don't do it too often, and everything will be fine. Sheesh, people.
ReplyLarge corporations have defeated small, locally owned businesses by buying in volume and selling more garbage. The ma and pa diners typically serve more food and less chemicals. Sometimes they even buy food from less abusive producers. They're more likely to have a conscience because it's their business and their community. Mega-corps have dominated for the sake of empire, rather than seeking merely a livlihood.
Does that answer your question, as to why they should pay restitution for their evil, or simply disappear?
ReplyWhat we need here is a little personal and parental responsibility. The McDonald's play areas already promote activity -- it's just tubes and things to run through/jump over/climb on/etc. -- so this is pretty silly.
ReplyAs the Founder of the very first interactive fitness facility for kids, I find this entire concept disgusting. How naive do MacDonald's think we are? Well, we don't buy it. In fact, in several places in the world, MacDonald's has been given the "boot" when they wanted to contribute to physical fitness programs in communities and schools. They are in business - they are in the FOOD business - the FAST FOOD business, NOT the exercise business.
Don't fall for this. Putting a few pieces of exercise equipment in a MacDonald's does NOT make eating Chicken MacNuggets a good idea! Come on parents: THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE TOY THAT HOOKS THE KIDS IN THE HAPPY MEAL. Think about it.
Do I think that you should never go to MacDonalds - hell, no! I grabbed a burger less than a month ago at the airport MacD's. But it has it's place. It is for now-and-then, not two or three times a week....bikes or no bikes.
Cook with your kids. You can have fun. It can cost less - and you will live a longer, healthier life with your kids - don't you want to go to their wedding and see their kids grow up?!
You want to change the world? Visit our website at bulldoginteractivefitness.com - I would love you to drop me a line!
Holly Bond - President - Bulldog Interactive Fitness for Youth - opening close to a MacDonalds in your town very soon!
Reply