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In 2013, global fast food icon McDonald&rsquo;s partnered with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to set five wellness goals to meet by 2020. Two of the goals included providing Happy Meal customers (usually children) with a healthier substitute for their side of fries&mdash;salad, fruit or vegetable&mdash;as well as promoting bottled water, milk and juice in place of soda, <a href="https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/report-half-mcdonald-s-happy-meal-customers-pass-soda?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=only-half-of-mcdonalds-happy-meals-now-ordered-with-soda-2709959" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">according to an article by Nation&rsquo;s Restaurant News</a>.

In an independent progress report, Keybridge, a public policy economic consulting firm, has found that the majority of McDonald&rsquo;s markets have met those two goals ahead of schedule, with the remaining markets on pace for 2020, according to the article. 

As of September 2018, 48% of customers in 20 global markets skipped the soda&mdash;up from 36% in September 2013. The global chain offers 161 types of healthy options around the world, like grape tomatoes in Australia, corn cups in Taiwan, and heart-shaped carrots in Austria, according to the article.

Domestically, 52% of U.S. Happy Meal eaters ordered an alternative beverage, up from 37% in 2013. Nation&rsquo;s Restaurant News notes that while soda is still an option for Happy Meals, McDonald&rsquo;s removed it from its menu boards in 2013. 

&ldquo;This work measures and demonstrates the positive impact we&rsquo;re having as we build a better McDonald&rsquo;s and use our scale as a force for good,&rdquo; Julia Braun, head of global nutrition at McDonald&rsquo;s Corp., told Nation&rsquo;s Restaurant News. 

Read the full article <a href="https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/report-half-mcdonald-s-happy-meal-customers-pass-soda?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=only-half-of-mcdonalds-happy-meals-now-ordered-with-soda-2709959" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">here</a>.

Image Source: McDonald&#39;s

Only Half of McDonald's Happy Meals Now Ordered With Soda

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