Sunday, January 23, 2011

Dear McDonald's:

I went to the drive-through yesterday with my three kids and bought them Happy Meals. (I'll leave the discussion of the nutritional value / addictive nature of these meals to others.)


My complaint is this. I was asked whether each meal was for a boy or a girl and I answered honestly. So I wound up with two so-called "boy toys" - trucks - and one "girl toy" - a pink pony. Would you like to be the one to explain to a screaming not quite two-year-old why she doesn't get a "twuck" like her brothers?

So, McDonald's, here's a clue. It is 2011. Boys play with dolls. Girls play with trucks. Get over it.

It's time to change the language used by your employees. Instead of asking if the toy is for a boy or a girl, ask your customers if they would like toy A or toy B. It's really not hard.

I thank you in advance from my daughter and all of the other children who don't conform to your stereotypes.

Sincerely,
Annoyed Mother

Photo credit: Keo 101, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Amen sister! Amen!

I work in the kids club at my work and all the girls I work with constantly shove dolls in the girls faces and trucks in the boys faces. Drives me nuts.

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Michele Decoteau said...

I used to say one boy, one girl, but they both want trucks - my 7 year old daughter generally prefered the "boy" toys since they usually DID something (like cars that roll) but the "girl" toys didn't do anything (like a pony that doesn't move).

I do dread the day she wants boy toys and means something else entirely! ;)

CricketB said...

Been there, done that. Almost done that stage with my youngest. She usually picks the girl toy, but not always.

Ours had a big display of the current series of toys. They spent more time picking toy than meal, then learned only one from each series is available this week. Yes, my kids learned to accept disappointment at McDonalds. I used to remind them in the car that not all the toys shown would be available, and they weren't to make a fuss.

I never answered "boy or girl". I had them show the kids what was available this week, both types, and told the kids to choose. If the server took too long checking every box for every toy, I reassured him that "just a few to choose from" was fine.

Wendy's here has better toys. Better made and more fun.