Family Life

07.08.10 | FL News Team

(Oak Brook, IL)  --  McDonald's CEO is telling a consumer group to leave its Happy Meals alone.  James Skinner fired off an angry letter and overnighted it to the Center for Science in the Public Interest earlier this week.  The non-profit has threatened to sue the burger giant, saying it lures little kids with toys.

The Center would also like McDonald's to retire Ronald McDonald for hawking unhealthy foods.  Skinner was infuriated at having his company portrayed, "as the stranger in the playground handing out candy to children."  He called it "an insult to every one of our franchisees and employees."  

Skinner noted that 90-percent of the phone calls flooding McDonald's Illinois headquarters are pro-Happy Meals.  Calling the threat of a lawsuit "frivolous," Skinner wrote, "We will vigorously defend our brand, our reputation, our food and our people."  He did say McDonald's would be open to constructive criticism, which the Center said it found encouraging.