On Friday our babysitter came over to take the kids to the pool and play while I went out and ran errands. When I am running errands, I don't like to waste time for lunch so I usually swing through a drive through and grab a kids meal. It is just enough food to keep me going until dinner. I typically give the toy in the meal to the kids or we save it for our Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. Friday's restaurant of choice was Burger King.
Imagine my shock when I reached in and pulled out this "toy" from the kids' meal bag.
This is supposed to be a bracelet with a werewolf and a vial for blood (I guess) from the Twilight Saga: Eclipse movie that is coming out June 30. A movie that is rated PG-13. A movie about vampires and blood.
So....um....yeah....
Excuse me Burger King marketing executives? What in the world were you thinking? How on earth is this an appropriate TOY for a 6 year old or a 2 year old or anyone else under the age of 13? I realize McDonalds probably got the rights to the Toy Story "toys" for their Happy Meals and you are probably bitter about that. I also realize that the Twilight series is very popular and lots of people are excited about this particular movie. But this? Seriously? We're talking about kids. Kids who most likely don't know what a vampire is. Who would give this to their children? Imagine the conversation I had to have with Fletcher about how he couldn't have this toy because it was from a movie that was inappropriate for kids. The very fine print on the bag said that alternate toys could be requested. But when I am in a hurry and in a drive through, I generally don't think about what toy I'll be getting in the bag.
Now some of you may be thinking that I am making a big deal about this. And maybe I am. I don't know. I guess I was thinking about my kids and how I want them to just enjoy being little kids and not grow up too fast. It is stuff like this that reminds me there are a whole lot of things in this world that are trying to make our kids grow up too fast.
Will I call BK's corporate headquarters today? Maybe. Will I think twice about making BK my drive through of choice? Absolutely! Will I be packing this toy in the Operation Christmas Child shoebox? Definitely not.
Follow up note: We had some friends over for dinner on Saturday night and I was telling them about this story. I showed them the toy and they too were appalled. I didn't think Fletcher was listening because he was playing with their boys. But Sunday morning he walks into our room with the toy in hand and says in a huff, "I am calling Burger King Monday morning." I asked what he would tell them. He said, "I'll tell them 'this toy is completely inappropriate for children' ".
Oh he is always listening...
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