McDonald's to trim menu, examine ingredients

[GreatGazoo]

52. The most unhealthy thing on most fast food menus is the soft drinks

including diet soft drinks. Weight gain, bone density challenges, metabolism issues all stemming from the huge portions of liquid calories. Diet soft drink induce more hunger and cravings for sugar per the Harvard Nurse Study. Long term use of diet soda triggers delayed satiation (increased eating) and likely the fast food industry has known all of this long before Harvard.

Next up would be the fries with major sat fat and major empty calories. The healthiest thing on the general menu is the burgers. So complicating any changes to their menu at a time when their revenues are hurting is the fact that they make their best margin on soda and 2nd best on fries. THAT is the junk food business -- making people crave high margin prepared foods.

Everyone is chasing Chipotle these days. Subway did the make your own combo thing for decades before Chipotle but these articles never mention Subway.

McDonald's knows their segments -- they have a core of customers who choose fast food and aren't concerned about health consequences. That segment is likely hurt by the economy so any change in menu won't solve that problem. Then they have segments that are more challenging -- young mothers with children, health conscious people, and those who eat fast food less than 5 times a month. Those groups may be attracted by a change in offerings but it doesn't sound like McD will offer new items so much as eliminate existing ones.

I look for McDonald's to also emulate the biggest advantage that Chipotle has right now -- PR. Chipotle knows exactly what their customer wants to hear (and see) so they talk the talk. Whether they walk the walk is another question.

THIS is what the customer wants to hear: