"Would You Like A Salad With That?"

"Would You Like A Salad With That?"

Customers visiting McDonald's New Zealand restaurants will find a new item on the menu this week. In a move to satisfy growing customer demand for healthier options, McDonald's has introduced salads to all its 147 restaurants around the country.

Now customers have a choice of two salad options; a smoked chicken salad or a crisp garden salad.

"This is an exciting time for us. Customers are telling us their looking for greater choice and healthier menu options. The introduction of salads and the subsequent arrival of further healthier menu items throughout the year will address this," says McDonald's Restaurants (NZ) Ltd CEO Alan Dunn.

"The challenge has been to make the best possible salad at the most affordable price and we're confident we have achieved this."

Both salads contain three varieties of lettuce plus cucumber, tomato, grated cheese, carrot, red cabbage, croutons and a selection of Eta dressings in sachets including two Lite & Free 99% fat free options.

In preparation for the arrival of salads, McDonald's worked with top New Zealand suppliers to develop quality salads with a distinctive New Zealand taste.

"We worked with our suppliers over a number of months to source fresh ingredients and ensure that such seasonable products would be available throughout the year," says Mr Dunn.

Utilising the knowledge of nutritionists, McDonald's has ensured its salads are healthy but above all taste good.

Both salads proved a hit with customers during a two month Auckland trial period, encouraging McDonald's to make salads a permanent menu item. Salads will be available from opening to closing enabling breakfast customers to pick up lunch on the way to work.

With customer demand already high and further healthier menu items planned for 2003, McDonald's restaurants throughout New Zealand are gearing up for a busy year.

© Scoop Media