McDonald's Backpedaling On Ad Saying Pitbulls Are More Dangerous Than Chicken

McDonald's is rolling out their new Chicken McBites in select markets right now, with a limited national rollout to happen in spring. The Golden Arches' take on popcorn chicken was a hit when the menu item was tested in Detroit and Australia and the company believes they have another hit on their hands.

But McDonald's is now apologizing for radio spots promoting McBites that say eating them isn't as dangerous as, say, petting a stray pitbull. The ads are offending dog lovers who say the commercials reinforce the negative stereotypes associated with the breed.

To be fair, knowing what we know now about McDonald's meat, eggs and fillers, we may take our chances with the pitbull. A Facebook page has been set up to call for a boycott of McDonald's and the company has apologized for the incident on Twitter and set up a message on their toll free number to address calls about the ad.

Below are Youtube videos containing the original radio spot and the automated message when calling the company's headquarters.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@chicagoist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Chuck Sudo in Food on February 7, 2012 4:45 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

Dakarai Reed

I'm 15 and I was terrified of dogs till I met two special dogs named Clyde and Trina at first took me while but the dogs kept following then once you pet them they become like kids never wanting to leave like as if you candy so if McDonalds if you want to disrespect something real might want to start serving something real.

Jessica

that is so wrong to say about pitbulls i had pitbulls my life and i save them i hope they r taking that message down and they should of known that was gonna piss off alot of people who love pitts and try resuce dogs such as the pitbull that what my job

Navin_Johnson

What's pathetic is that it took McDonald's offending your *pets* in order for a bunch of you to decide that this restaurant shouldn't be patronized. Americans and their pets man....

ChicagoD

They're lying. The McRib or the Shamrock Shale will come out and they'll go back. Then the dog will die and they'll forget what the issue was and be scarfing Big Macs again.

Or, they don't eat there now and nobody gives a shit if they boycott and place they don't go anyway.

P.S. My boycott of Alinea CONTINUES!

ChicagoD

Oh, damn. I had no idea the Shamrock Shake was coming back now.

http://gothamist.com/2012/02/0...

magooisim

ah hahahahahahahaha. i will support and participate in your boycott of Alinea!

Nicholas

I would not recommend that anyone pet a stray pit bull. I would also not recommend that anyone eat a chicken Mcnugget. The pit bull can possibly maul you to death. The McNugget will make you fat and smell bad. It is a wash.

BlueFairlane

Maybe Blue Line hobos are all eating Chicken McNuggets.

Nicholas

From the numerous discarded food containers often found beneath them, I'd say they are eating them in huge quantities.

Jesse B

I happen to think petting a STRAY pitbull is risky because petting a stray ANYTHING is risky. The Merriam-Webster definition of risk (noun) is the "possibility of loss or injury". Is there no possibility of injury when petting a stray animal? Lighten up people. They didn't say petting your particular dog who happens to be the nicest dog anyone's ever owned is risky, did they?

Ryan Weiss

According to the definition you posted, eating at McDonalds would also be risky. Haven't you've seen Super Size Me? The man in the documentary suffered from permanate liver damage as a result of eating at McDonalds for 30 days. Playing devils advocate here, imagine if they said which is safer, eating McBites or shaking hands with a low income african american male? Would it be funny then? Looking at the big picture, fueling any negative sterotype is going to cause an uproar. It was a poor advertising move and I'm glad pitbull owners didn't stand for it.

ChicagoD

Yes. Dogs and "low income african american males" are pretty much analogous. It's funny that you are PC enough to use african american but not sensible enough to know that dogs are dogs and people are people. Your analogy strikes me as more dangerous than either McDonald's or pit bulls.

Also, petting every stray dog is riskier than any specific McDonald's meal. Thus, your Super Size Me reference is utterly inapt. The dog equivalent would be if I sought out stray dogs three times a day (with maybe a little snack in the afternoon) to pet.

I've owned dogs most of my life, but I can't imagine how people have confused their dogs for people.

slickpoetry

Stop making sense.

Amsterdam

Ummm I don't care how many times they apologize I won't eat at Mcdonalds ever again .. the idiot that thought the ad up should feel like the world's biggest moron. They offended my four legged kids !!

sat3911

Pound for pound, I think it is a bit of a wash and that is assuming it is a nasty fighting trained pit bull

Amsterdam

one of my dogs was a fighting trained pit and is the most loving pit I have ever had the pleasure of knowing .. I trust any pit with my life over the heart attack on a bun Mcdonalds serves the US !!

erik75

People in Detroit have nothing left to live for. There must be a couple Australians who assume everything from the US is awesome. Havent had McD's in 12 years, you'd need a pack of stray pitbulls to drag me into the restaurant.