San Francisco has banned free toys with unhealthy restaurant meals, effectively ending Happy Meal toy giveaways in that city. The local ordinance, which takes effect December of 2011, still allows restaurants to give away toys with kids’ meals -- but only if they have fewer than 600 calories, contain fruits and vegetables, and include drinks without excessive fat or sugar.
Backers of the ban say the city needs to protect kids from unhealthy eating. “The epidemic of childhood obesity in this country is making people sick, making our kids sick," said San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar, who proposed the measure. "This is a challenge to the restaurant industry to think about children's health first."
McDonald’s, unsurprisingly, is not thrilled. “It’s not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for,” McDonald's spokeswoman Danya Proud said.
What do you think? Should other cities follow San Francisco’s example and ban Happy Meal toys? Do you have a bunch of them rattling around your car floor right now? Watch the video and share your thoughts in the comment section.