McDonald's Makeover-Strawberry Shakes and Stationary Bikes

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

05 Dec 2006 06:00 AM

Shakes and stationary bikes? French Fries and foosball? Big Macs and basketball? McDonald's is getting a makeover... one the fast food giant hopes will be a hit with both parents and children.

Say so long to the slides found at the traditional McDonald's PlayPlace, the burger-and-fries company is ripping them out and replacing them with climbing ropes, stationary bicycles and electronic dancing games at SOME of its restaurants. If the new R Gyms (R as in Ronald McDonald) prove to be successful in their test restaurants you may soon see them popping up at your neighborhood McDonald's.

The R Gyms are currently in place at McDonald's restaurants in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Santa Ana, Whittier and Elk Grove, California; Broomfield, Colorado; and Chillicothe and Woodridge, Illinois where company officials say the response to the new gyms have been quite good.

"As long as our customers see a benefit in it, we will continue to look at this," a McDonald's spokesperson told reporters Monday. "We have for many years supported programs that promote physical activity, and we will continue to do that."

Ironically, for years, the fast food chain has been accused by critics of contributing to child obesity. Could it be that the new mini-gyms are a way to combat critics' remarks? Get rid of the popular McDonald's PlayPlace, with its ball pits and crawl tubes, and stick in stationary bikes and tiny basketball courts?

McDonald's executives say the R Gym is designed to incorporate more technology than the traditional PlayPlace and "to provide a fun, easy way for children to increase their physical activity."

But, don't let the word "gym" scare you off. The R Gym isn't a chip off the Gold's Gym block. The company says the stationary bikes are attached to video games, and kids shoot hoops on tiny courts that electronically cheer players. Other R Gyms will offer air hockey and foosball tables.

According to McDonald's, R Gyms cater to children of all ages. They feature a toddler zone for ages 0-3, where soft balls and slides remain; an active zone for ages 4-8, including an obstacle course and climbing challenges; and a sports zone for ages 9-12, with bicycling, jumping, dancing and other sports-oriented activities.

Naturally critics will be critics and some have come out swinging in regards to the new R Gyms. For example, one nutritionist made the comment that it would take a child a long time to burn off the calories from a cheeseburger and fries in the R Gym.

"Realistically, I can't imagine it's going to necessarily be that beneficial," the nutritionist told news reporters. "It's not truly something that's real physical fitness. But it does take their playgrounds to a new level."

What do you think about the R Gym idea?

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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