The film Super Size Me, had quite a negative effect on the image and popularity of the Super Size fries and drinks offering. In the United States, McDonald's began to phase out the supersized option from their regular menu in March 2004. The company stated that they need to simplify their menu and to offer healthier food choices.
What happened to McDonald's'Super Size Me'?
When Morgan Spurlock named his expose film on the physical consequences of the fast food industry Super Size Me, it forever linked McDonald's trademark option with weight gain and a whole slew of health issues. But spokesperson Walt Riker said (via CBS News) that the film had nothing to do with the disappearance of Supersizing.
Did McDonald's discontinue the Super Size option after the movie?
Also, it described McDonald's discontinuation of the Super Size option six weeks after the movie's premiere, as well as its recent emphasis on healthier menu items such as salads, and the release of the new adult Happy Meal. McDonald's denied that these changes had anything to do with the film.
What does'Super Size Me'Mean for McDonald's?
An award-winning documentary called "Super Size Me" reaped more unwanted publicity for McDonald's. The documentary, which chronicles the deterioration of filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's health during a monthlong experiment eating nothing but McDonald's food, won a directing prize at the Sundance Film Festival and is set for wide release this spring.
What did Super Size Me do for US?
One of the best things Super Size Me did was to help improve our awareness of diet and nutrition as something that was bigger than just calories.
When did McDonald's take the supersize off the menu?
Do the Golden Arches have secret menu items?
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What were the effects of Super Size Me?
Ultimately, Spurlock suffers a smorgasbord of problems including near liver failure from fat deposits, a jump in cholesterol from 168 to 230 mg/dl, a 25 lb weight gain, a doubled increase in risk of heart disease, as well as self-reported chest pains, depression, exhaustion, mood swings, and “worthless” sex drive.
Why did McDonald's eliminate the Supersize portion?
Supersized fries and drinks weren't making them as much money as they hoped, so they took the option off the menu. However, they do still have these secret menu items available for purchase. “The driving force here was menu simplification,” McDonald's spokesman Walt Riker said back in 2004.
What was the result of the McDonald's lawsuit court case in Super Size Me?
The court overruled U.S. District Judge Robert Sweet's decision to dismiss the suit, which seeks billions of dollars in damages. He ruled it failed to allege enough facts connecting McDonald's food and their obesity.
What year did McDonald's stop supersizing?
In March 2004, McDonald's announced a plan to phase out the Supersize option, citing needs to simplify the menu and to offer healthier food choices.
Why did McDonald's get rid of ronald McDonald?
Although the clown sightings were the main reason behind Ronald's fall from the spotlight, people have been campaigning for McDonald's to lose its mascot for years. Critics claimed he was encouraging children to eat unhealthy foods, and in 2011, a group of 550 doctors placed newspaper adverts insisting he retires.
Did the woman who sued McDonald's win?
In 1992, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck bought a cup of takeout coffee at a McDonald's drive-thru in Albuquerque and spilled it on her lap. She sued McDonald's and a jury awarded her nearly $3 million in punitive damages for the burns she suffered.
What happened to the woman who sued McDonald's for hot coffee?
Liebeck was taken to a hospital, where it was determined that she had suffered third-degree burns on six percent of her skin and lesser burns over sixteen percent. She remained in the hospital for eight days while she underwent skin grafting.
Who ate McDonald's for 30 days?
Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker. Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1, 2003 to March 2, 2003 during which he ate only McDonald's food.
How big was a Supersize fry?
Supersize fries are a 7-ounce carton and McDonald's will still sell "large" fries, the 6-ounce size, Riker said. The company did not immediately disclose other details of the menu changes, which have been quietly under way since January. Some customers had a mixed reaction to the news.
How big was a Supersize drink?
42-ounceA Supersize Coke comes in a 42-ounce cup and, according to McDonald's, is supposed to contain 410 calories. Its large comes in a 32-ounce cup and is supposed to have 310 calories.
How big is a large fry at McDonald's?
The approximate portion weights of our Fries are as follows: Small Fries approx. 80g, Medium Fries approx. 114g, and Large Fries approx. 150g.
How big is a large drink at McDonald's?
30 ouncesAccording to Buzzfeed, McDonald's cup sizes in the U.S. are about 16 ounces for a small, 21 ounces for a medium, and 30 ounces for a large. Many of McDonald's beverages, including Coke, Sprite and Dr. Pepper, are available on the restaurant's dollar menu. Get updates on this story from foxbusiness.com.
McDonald's Counters Controversial 'Super Size Me' Documentary With In ...
McDonald's Counters Controversial 'Super Size Me' Documentary With In-House 'Salad Without Dressing Me' See other business news; See all news; Share this page
McDonald's fights back against hit film - the Guardian
McDonald's is so concerned about the film Super Size Me, which will be screened this weekend at the Edinburgh film festival, that it decided to mount an unconventional advertising campaign. .
What is Super Size Me about?
The documentary, which chronicles the deterioration of filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's health during a monthlong experiment eating nothing but McDonald's food, won a directing prize at the Sundance Film Festival and is set for wide release this spring.
What did Riker say about supersizing?
Riker said the phasing out of super-sizing has "nothing to do with that (film) whatsoever."
Does McDonald's still sell large fries?
Supersize fries are a 7-ounce carton and McDonald's will still sell "large" fries, the 6-ounce size, Riker said. The company did not immediately disclose other details of the menu changes, which have been quietly under way since January. Some customers had a mixed reaction to the news. Jamie Cox, 19, dining at a McDonald's in downtown Chicago ...
Does McDonald's have salads?
McDonald's added entree salads with great success last year and has been moving to provide more fruit, vegetable and yogurt options with its Happy Meals. But the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company remains a lightning rod for public criticism, and legal action, when it comes to obesity and other health worries.
Is McDonald's phasing out supersize fries?
McDonald's Scrapping 'Supersize'. Hold the fries — at least the super-sized version. In a sign of the times, McDonald's is getting rid of the extra-large portions that had become one of its signatures. The burger giant said it has begun phasing out Supersize fries and drinks in its more than 13,000 U.S.
How much weight did Spurlock gain?
After just five days, Spurlock gained nine pounds , and by the end of the 30 days, he would gain 24 pounds, increase his body mass by 13%, and increase his cholesterol to 230 mg/dL. On the 21 st day of the experiment, Spurlock had to go to the hospital for heart palpitations, where his doctor warned him stop what he was doing before serious damage was incurred. At the end of the 30 days, his team of physicians were surprised by the deterioration done to his body. It took Spurlock 14 months to lose all of the weight he had gained. Twelve years later, Spurlock still has serious side effects, like the fact that it’s now much easier for him to gain weight quickly because of the extra fat cells he now has.
Why was Spurlock concerned about his girlfriend?
His then girlfriend was especially concerned because she was a gourmet vegan chef. It wasn’t easy for her to sit by and watch her boyfriend destroy his body. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where Spurlock received the Grand Jury Prize for his directing of the film.
Did Spurlock have headaches?
It didn’t take long for these effects to take place either, noting early on that he was feeling lethargic and suffering from headaches, saying that they were only relieved when he ate another meal. Although his friends and family expressed concerns, Spurlock was determined to complete the challenge.
Did McDonald's remove Super Size from the menu?
It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary. Six weeks after its release, McDonald’s removed the Super Size option from the menu. However, despite this warm reception from the public, there has been some critical backlash.
Does Spurlock's food log show the fat and calories?
However, Spurlock never released his food log, so there is no way to confirm the true fat and calorie counts.
When did McDonald's get rid of supersizing?
Getting rid of Supersizing was, Entrepreneur says, actually done under the umbrella of McDonald's "Eat Smart, Be Active" initiative, which was launched in 2003. The campaign was geared toward not just making McDonald's healthier, but giving stagnant sales a much-needed boost. The brainchild of US operations chief Mike Roberts and first-year CEO Jim Cantalupo, it came with a ton of other little changes. At the same time Supersizing disappeared, they were also trading 2 percent milk for 1 percent, adding entree salads, and tweaking the sizes of other products, too.
When did McDonald's discontinue the Supersize menu?
The Real Reason Why McDonald's Supersized Menu Disappeared. McDonald's announced they were phasing out their signature Supersize fry and drink options in 2004, but years later, we're still using the term to refer to something extra-large, especially when the Golden Arches are involved. Supersizing was brilliant — who doesn't want more fries, ...
How many calories are in a large fries?
When it comes to the fries, a large had 412 calories and 18 grams of fat, and you were only getting 74 more calories and about 3 more grams of fat in the Supersized version. CBS News adds that a Supersized carton of fries held 7 ounces, and the large that stayed on the menu was a 6-ounce container.
How many items did McDonald's have in 2013?
According to Bloomberg (via Marketplace), McDonald's had 145 menu items in 2013, and that's 85 more than they had in 2007 — not too many years after Supersizing disappeared. The story came around the time McDonald's was saying goodbye to the Angus burger, the chicken selects, and some salads, and spokesperson Danya Proud said it was nothing out ...
How many calories did Spurlock eat in the movie?
McDonald's official line on the film was that it wasn't actually a film about their food, it was about Spurlock making the incredibly bad choice to eat 5,000 calories a day (though those calories were all from McDonald's ).
Why did they get rid of supersizing?
CBS News, too, noted that the decision to get rid of Supersizing went hand-in-hand with increasing pressure being put on fast food restaurants to at least offer healthier alternatives to customers. They had already begun adding some of the healthier options that everyone is familiar with today, like fruit and yogurt, but at the time, they were still being heavily criticized for just how bad their food was. A little bit of public knowledge and awareness turned out to be not so great for the Golden Arches.
Why did McDonald's sue?
The New York Times reported on two teenagers taking McDonald's to court and suing them for essentially making them overweight. They argued that McDonald's hadn't provided the nutritional information on the meals they liked — Supersized portions and Happy Meals were specifically named — and if they had, they wouldn't have eaten it daily. Also in 2002, a man from the Bronx sued not just McDonald's but KFC, Wendy's, and Burger King as well, saying (via ABC News) that they had never disclosed just how bad their food was, and it led to his weight issues and ultimately his heart attack.
What is Morgan Spurlock's Supersize Me about?
Morgan Spurlock’s ‘SuperSize Me’ documentary explores fast food companies and the impact of McDonalds-based fast food goods. The film also discusses the rising obesity and diabetes crisis in the United States. Morgan has decided to eat nothing but McDonald’s meals for thirty days.
Why should the government regulate fast food?
In regards to the fast food industry, I think the government will have to regulate certain fast food industry practices in order to keep the public from eating so unhealthy. Although the government will most likely try not to persuade the American public not to eat fast food due to the constitutional influence of the fast food industry and multi-million dollar lobbyists. McDonalds would have to sacrifice it’s profit in order to put their money into producing more healthier foods, but as Morgan stated in the film that McDonalds is a business whose loyalty is within the shareholders and not the general public.
Why did Spurlock sue McDonald's?
The reason for Spurlock's investigation was the increasing spread of obesity throughout U.S. society, which the Surgeon General has declared an "epidemic", and the corresponding lawsuit brought against McDonald's on behalf of two overweight girls, who, it was alleged, became obese as a result of eating McDonald's food (Pelman v. McDonald's Corp., 237 F. Supp. 2d 512). Spurlock argued that, although the lawsuit against McDonald's failed (and subsequently many state legislatures have legislated against product liability actions against producers and distributors of "fast food") as well as the McLibel case, much of the same criticism leveled against the tobacco companies applies to fast food franchises whose product is both physiologically addictive and physically harmful.
What is Super Size Me about?
The film documents this lifestyle's drastic effect on Spurlock's physical and psychological well-being and explores the fast food industry's corporate influence, including how it encourages poor nutrition for its own profit.
How many times did Spurlock eat McDonald's?
Spurlock ate at McDonald's restaurants three times per day, eating every item on the chain's menu at least once. Spurlock consumed an average of 20.9 megajoules or 5,000 kcal (the equivalent of 9.26 Big Macs) per day during the experiment.
How much weight did Spurlock gain?
As a result, the then-32-year-old Spurlock gained 11.1 kilograms (24 lb), a 13% body mass increase, increased his cholesterol to 230 mg/dL (6.0 mmol/L), and experienced mood swings, sexual dysfunction, and fat accumulation in his liver.
What did Robert Davis say about Super Size Me?
He primarily criticized the dramatic and unscientific approach of Super Size Me, saying Spurlock unnecessarily ate more than he had to and ignored his nutritionist's advice. Davis explained he would have been more interested had the documentary been about trying to eat as healthy as possible at McDonald's: "You could choose low-fat options, but it would be impossible to get enough vegetables and fiber, and the low-fat meal would be incredibly bland, the product of a system that has worked to optimize food delivery and consistency and, in doing so, has invented foods so devoid of flavor that they require dressings, oils, beef tallow and goopy coatings to make them more than just textured blobs. The industry has worked hard to convince consumers that these odd, sweet flavors are not only good but also unique, recognizable parts of a brand. Spurlock doesn't attempt to convey this message, presumably because the affects [ sic] of too few vegetables and too little fiber aren't as dramatic as speedy weight-and-cholesterol gains."
Where did Spurlock eat his first Super Size meal?
Day 2 brings Spurlock's first (of nine) Super Size meal, at the McDonald's on 34th Street and Tenth Avenue, which is a meal made of a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Super Size French fries, and a 42-ounce Coca-Cola, which took him 22 minutes to eat.
When did Super Size Me 2 come out?
Spurlock released a sequel, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, in 2017.
How much did Super Size Me gross?
After premiering at Sundance (where Spurlock won the Grand Jury Prize), the film went on to gross $11,536,423 when it hit theaters. But sizing changes (in name only or otherwise) are not the whole story. The most important thing Super Size Me did was simply raise awareness about our food's impact on our bodies.
Why did McDonald's take corn syrup out of their buns?
For instance, just keeping with the fast food examples, McDonald's took high fructose corn syrup out of its buns because clean-eating consumers demanded it, but that didn't change the fact that the buns are still a source of refined carbohydrates, which are generally thought of as less healthy than whole grains.
How much weight did Spurlock gain?
Spurlock gained 18 pounds, and his cholesterol increased markedly. He also began to feel depressed, and his girlfriend noted in the film that the all-McDonald's diet was impacting his sexual performance. "If you decide to keep eating this way, go ahead," Spurlock says in his narration at the end of the film.
What was Michael Pollan's opus on the way we eat?
And Michael Pollan's opus on the way we eat, The Omnivore's Dilemma, was but a draft on his computer — in other words, we were years from the gluten- free, lactose-free, superfoods-only obsessed health culture we have today. But 2004 was a big year for the burgeoning "clean" eating environment, because it was the year Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me ...
Is Super Size Me bad?
While it's never bad to be conscious of what you're eating , the problem with the reaction to Super Size Me is that it helped to create an atmosphere of fear-mongering. Perhaps without Super Size Me, there would be no space for the infamous "clean-eating" crusader Food Babe.
Did McDonald's change the menu in Super Size Me?
Though Mcdonald's denies a direct link between the film and its menu changes, it's hard to argue that Super Size Me had nothing to do with helping increase consumer awareness of size, as well as ingredients and nutrition, which in turn forced the industry to respond.
Did Spurlock eat McDonald's?
To refresh your memory, this was the film that put Spurlock on the map, the one in which the documentarian decided to eat nothing but McDonald's food for an entire month and film it. He vowed to eat every item on the McDonald's menu at least once.
How many McDonald's have been redesigned?
In recent years, 3,000 McDonald’s in the United States have been redesigned, including 900 just last year; another 1,000 or so are slated to be rebuilt or renovated this year. On average, these restaurants experience 6 to 7 percent sales growth over the market’s increase, according to McDonald’s.
How much did McDonald's make in 2011?
Even a sputtering economy hasn’t slowed the company down. In 2011, the average free-standing McDonald’s restaurant in the United States generated nearly $2.6 million in sales, an increase of roughly 13 percent since 2008.
How old is Rick Wion from McDonald's?
After clicking on the hashtag #MeetTheFarmers, people were watching the videos online, and Rick Wion, the 39-year-old director of social media for McDonald’s U.S.A., was pleased.
What is the most famous assault on McDonald's?
The most famous assault on the company’s reputation was probably Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me,” the 2004 Oscar-nominated documentary that suggested a month of eating only McDonald’s meals might hasten your death. But that has hardly been the only grenade lobbed in the company’s direction.
When was the Big Mac first introduced?
Sales of the Big Mac, the chain’s signature product that was first introduced nationwide in 1968, rose 10 percent last year, helping to push the company’s stock price to nearly $100 a share. Image. Credit... Stephen Lewis for The New York Times. Advertising no doubt has something to do with all this success.
Who is the food stylist for the New York Times?
Stephen Lewis for The New York Times. Food stylist: Victoria Granof
Does McDonald's serve only core customers?
But for McDonald’s to keep succeeding, especially in the United States, it can’t be satisfied with serving only its core customers. The goal, according to Neil Golden, the company’s chief marketing officer for its American restaurants, is to win over the holdouts. One way to do that is by improving the food itself.
When did McDonald's take the supersize off the menu?
You’ll never hear a McDonald’s employee ask you that question since the fast-food chain took the option to supersize their meals off the menu in 2004.
Do the Golden Arches have secret menu items?
Supersized fries and drinks weren’t making them as much money as they hoped, so they took the option off the menu. However, they do still have these secret menu items available for purchase.
