Day 045 - 03 Nov 94 - Page 60
1 customers purchased a Happy Meal. This does represent an
2 increase over previous years." I think that you do Happy
3 Meals or something along those lines -- you must do,
4 according to the next page -- it is not just for children?
5 A. Most of the Happy Meals are used by children. There
6 are some adults who buy Happy Meals and who enjoy them, but
7 I would say that the majority of them are used by children.
8
9 Q. On page 230 it says: "The Increase in Happy Meal
10 penetration is most noticeable among males, eight to 13
11 years old and 55 plus year-olds". Do they get a toy in
12 their Happy Meal as well?
13 A. Certainly, a Happy Meal is served the same way that any
14 customer who wants it. I think they understand the value
15 of it and they may take it home for themselves or take it
16 home for their grandchildren.
17
18 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes, I was wondering whether at "55 plus" you
19 are in the grand parental area.
20
21 MS. STEEL: You do not have any figures on the percentage of
22 children who purchase Happy Meals?
23
24 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Do you mean on their own as opposed to have
25 purchased it for them?
26
27 MS. STEEL: No, what I meant was because this is one out of 10
28 customers ----
29
30 THE WITNESS: Excuse me, on page 231 it shows by age group who
31 purchases a Happy Meal, so it is -- for this one, it is the
32 outside number, 47 per cent of zero to seven year-olds and
33 17 per cent of eight to 13 year-olds. Then it declines,
34 even though there is some small amount for almost every age
35 group.
36
37 MS. STEEL: What are the youngest customers that McDonald's
38 gets? I noticed it has zero?
39 A. I have not done a survey when mothers bring their
40 children into McDonald's, but I imagine it is at any time.
41
42 Q. You do not know?
43 A. No, I do not.
44
45 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It take it from the way that you serve your
46 meals that there is absolutely no restriction whatsoever on
47 buying one meal and then two people having a bit of it
48 each?
49 A. No, not at all. In fact, there have been occasions
50 where mothers will buy the Happy Meal for their themselves
51 and give the premium to their child.
52
53 MR. JUSTICE BELL: English restaurants -- what you would call
54 white table cloth restaurants -- can be a bit stuffy about
55 that; whereas French restaurants happily understand it
56 perfectly. But the way that you serve your food anyway
57 positively lends itself to people taking a bit of whatever
58 is on the tray?
59 A. That is correct. They can split it among themselves or
60 split it in any way. I think that is one of the reasons
