McDonalds Kills Site That Advised Employees to Eat Healthy Meals

McDonald’s had a thoughtful piece of advice for its own employees: If you want to be healthy, avoid fast food.

That’s what the fast-food outlet posted on its employee resource website McResource Line. The company pulled the site on Wednesday, saying the advice, which a third-party vendor provided, was taken out of context.

“Fast foods are quick, reasonably priced and readily available alternatives to home cooking. While convenient and economical for a busy lifestyle, fast foods are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt and may put people at risk for becoming overweight,” read one posting on the site’s diet section, according to CNBC.

Another page displayed a large soda, french fries and a hamburger — a meal labeled as an “unhealthy choice.” Next to it, the “healthier choice” of a cup of water, a salad and a sandwich.

These postings disappeared Wednesday when McDonald’s took down the entire website, saying its content was unfairly misrepresented.

“A combination of factors has led us to re-evaluate and we’ve directed the vendor to take down the website,” McDonald’s wrote in a statement posted on its main website. “Between links to irrelevant or outdated information, along with outside groups taking elements out of context, this created unwarranted scrutiny and inappropriate commentary. None of this helps our McDonald’s team members.”

This is not the first time the McResource Line site gets unflattering public attention. In July, the company was criticized for a budget planning guide that was considered “out of touch” with its employees actual needs.

Earlier this month a tipping guide advised employees on how to tip au pairs, pool cleaners, fitness trainers and other types of services that are probably out of range for McDonald’s workers, who don’t even make $15 per hour in most U.S. cities.

– Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai [Mashable]