McDonald's turns to celebrity chefs in an attempt to boost sales
Eating healthy has never been more popular and these days, it seems you're just as likely to see a line for green smoothies at a trendy cafe as you are at the McDonald's drive through.
As global sales figures decline, the US arm of McDonald's has turned to celebrity chefs to try raise the profile of the brand, using McDonald's products to make gourmet fare.
From kung pao chicken using McNuggets in sweet and sour sauce and garnished with parsley to gnocchi made from McDonald's French fries, food bloggers and reporters were treated to a dining experience the brand hopes will change people's perceptions from "fast food" to "good food served fast".
But, no — they're not planning on serving the gourmet meals in-store, rather it was a public relations exercise to try change McDonald's reputation and keep up with the health food trend that is sweeping the globe.
"We've got to make sure that the food is relevant and that the awareness around McDonald's as a kitchen and a restaurant that cooks and prepares fresh, high quality food is strong and pronounced," McDonald's CEO Dale Thompson said earlier this year.
Dr Gary Mortimer, from the Queensland University of Technology, told ninemsn that the whole takeaway sector is being challenged to stay ahead of emerging food and diet trends.
"We have seen the increase in supermarkets of organics, gluten free and paleo," he said.
"In the last few years, we have also seen an increased focus on gourmet and prestige and we have seen all of the fast food chains doing it. It's an attempt to move away from starchy burger and fries to a better quality product and healthy options."
Dr Mortimer said government campaigns to get us to eat healthier, including five vegetables and two fruits a day, have been successful, so people are starting to think twice before ordering fast food.
"These messages are strong and permeating consumers minds," he said.
"We are saying, 'Yes, I want to go to these places because it's quick and convenient, but we want a healthier option as well as convenience."
Dr Mortimer said the challenge for fast food chains is to deliver healthier options in a way that consumers perceive as legitimate.
"You might see celebrity endorsements, you might see them positioning their advertising for healthy choices around reality TV shows like The Biggest Loser or in healthy lifestyle magazines," he said.
"Much of this is around changing the mindset of the consumer to say, not only are we saying we have a healthy range, but if we are associated with that magazine or television show by association we must have a legitimate offer for you.
McDonald's Australia told ninemsn that they're aware of consumers' desire for healthier options and have offered healthier menu options for more than 10 years.
"We've been providing choice on our menu and have improved the nutritional value of our food by reducing sugar and salt content across the menu and changing to a healthier vegetable oil," a spokesperson told ninemsn.
"We include kilojoule labelling for all of our products on our menu boards nationally – to allow customers to make informed choices."
Responding to the community's desire for more information about where food is coming from, McDonald's Australia released their "Our Food, Your Questions" online platform.
"It encourages Aussies to ask their burning questions about the Macca's menu and receive honest, personalised, informative responses," they said.
"We will continue to evolve and add choice to our menu."
Author: Kimberly Gillan; Approving editor: Kristen Amiet