Nine-year-old Hannah Robertson doesn’t want a Happy Meal. She wants a healthy meal.
And she’s not shy about saying it: Hannah took her pitch straight to the boss, telling McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson during the annual shareholder’s meeting that targeting kids with unhealthy food isn’t fair.
“There are things in life that aren’t fair—like when your pet dies,” Hannah said brightly on a recording of the question and answer that was played on Friday’s Morning Joe. “Something I don’t think it’s fair when big companies try to trick kids into eating food that isn’t good for them by using toys and cartoon characters.”
Hannah’s mom, Kia, is a kid’s nutritional activist, according to USA Today.
“Mr. Thompson, don’t you want kids to be healthy so they can live a long and healthy life?” Hannah asked.
Thompson responded: “We don’t serve junk food,” referring to the chain’s healthier options like apple slices in kids meals, fat-free chocolate milk, and side salads on the Dollar Menu. “We sell a lot of fruits and veggies and we’re trying to sell more.”
Thompson added that his kids eat McDonald’s, too, but that he also cooks at home, making sure to include fruits and vegetables.
Watch the Morning Joe panel discussion below.
Jane Timm