Fast food giant McDonald's is facing ridicule after a website set up for its employees warned them about the dangers of eating too much of their fast food, and instead gave advice for "healthier" meal alternatives.
A post on the company's McResource Line website told employees to avoid fast foods in favor of a "healthier choice," according to a report by CNBC on Monday.
A graphic on the site shows a meal with a cheeseburger, fries and drink under the caption "Unhealthy choice." Next to it is a picture of a sub, a salad and water under the caption "Healthier choice."
"For starters, it didn't account for food and gasoline," CNNMoney reported. "The second line on the sample budget leaves room for income from a second job, which many called an admission by the fast food giant that its workers can't live on its wages alone."
The health tip came on the heels of financial advice posted to the site, McResource Line, that was assailed as out of touch with the reality for most employees. According to a recent study, more than half of families of fast food workers receive assistance from a public program like food stamps.
Lisa McComb, a spokeswoman for McDonald's USA said the company will still offer employees help via phone.
"We have offered the McResource program to help our valued McDonald's employees with work and life guidance created by independent third party experts. A combination of factors has led us to re-evaluate, and we've directed the vendor to take down the website. Between links to irrelevant or outdated information, along with outside groups taking elements out of context, this created unwarranted scrutiny and inappropriate commentary," McComb said in a statement.
"None of this helps our McDonald's team members. We'll continue to provide service to them through an internal telephone help line, which is how the majority of employees access the McResource services."
