Just when cholesterol has been declared a non-problem, McDonald’s may be cooking up a menu full of health food featuring last year’s vegan favorite – kale.
In the battle of the fast-food giants, adding kale to a basic burger and fries joint feels like a “Hail Mary” pass from a desperate company.
McDonald’s may offer the green leafy vegetable as part of its ongoing efforts to appeal to customers’ changing preferences, a note from analysts at Janney Capital Markets indicated on Monday.
Related: The 25 Most Addictive Foods in the World
Kale might show up in salads. It might show up in smoothies. “The upcoming menu addition was discussed during the fast-food giant’s turnaround summit in Las Vegas last week,” CNBC reports, citing a source familiar with the meeting. McDonald’s itself wouldn’t comment on the kale addition on Monday.
The move is part of the fast-food chain’s attempts to increase its customers’ perception of its food. It also follows the company’s recent announcement that it will gradually stop buying chicken that has been raised with antibiotics.
There’s just one little problem with the kale affair. McDonald’s recently ran an ad for its iconic Big Mac that declared kale wasn’t found on the menu.
Related: Why the Government’s New Dietary Guidelines Could Set Off a Food Fight
“All vegetarians, foodies and gastronauts, kindly avert your eyes,” a deep male voice intones as a picture of a huge Big Mac appears on the screen. “You can’t get juiciness like this from soy or quinoa,” the voice continues. “This is not Greek yogurt. Nor will that ever be kale.”
The national ad – seen by many as a slam against health food proponents – aired about two weeks ago on Fox during the 2015 Daytona 500. The spot is called “Unapologetic Big Mac.” A description of it reads: “The Big Mac is full of meat, sauce and deliciousness, not kale, tofu or quinoa. Pick up the classic Big Mac at McDonald’s today.”
As McDonald’s continues to reinvent itself in order to hang onto market share and stay strong against more upmarket fast-casual restaurants, today’s consumers can be forgiven, then, if they have a little kale confusion.
Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
