Burger King announced that it's giving its Kid's Meals an obesity war makeover, swapping in 'Satisfries' that boast less fat and fewer calories than its classic fries.
While fried in the same batter as regular fries, the Satisfry recipe, introduced for adults in September, results in the potato slices absorbing less of the cooking oil, said Burger King's Chief Marketing Officer Eric Hirschhorn. That results in 20 percent fewer calories and fat than the chain's regular fries.
The Kid's Meal still comes with an additional choice of either a toy, or apple slices, introduced amid a wave of fast food health concerns in 2008 echoing the current national obesity debate.
While the government reported Tuesday a 43 percent drop in obesity rates for 2-5-year-old children over the past decade, obesity rates for youths overall, those aged 2 to 19, have remained flat at 17 percent.
"Kids don’t want to give up their favorite snacks," said Hirschhorn. "We are providing an option parents can feel better about giving to their kids, without children having to compromise on taste."
In promotions, Burger King has touted Satifries as having 30 percent fewer calories and 40 percent less fat than McDonald's fries per 70-gram serving. However, Burger King serves kids more than twice the amount of fries by weight than McDonalds, 87 grams versus 31 grams.
The chain posted a 0.5 percent growth in same-store global sales in February versus a 3.2 percent rise in 2012.