Return of the McRib not mentioned in McDonald’s promotion of fresh ingredients

McDonald's now wants Canadians to know it serves regular food.

A new advertising campaign has emphasized its beef is the same kind sold at a butcher shop, the fries are made from the same potatoes found at a vegetable stand and the breakfast eggs are no different from ones at the supermarket.

Nonetheless, the chain hasn't shied away from indulgent items. Next week, all its Canadian locations will once again serve the McRib.

Similarly, recent same-store sales growth in the U.S. was partially credited to the introduction of Frozen Strawberry Lemonade, which few would mistake for a health shake.

Yet, the company also wants to draw attention to its growing social consciousness through a U.K. advertising campaign that emphasizes its ethical focus.

The efforts to reduce the environmental affect of the golden arches supply chain have been highlighted. Litter patrols were created to pick up discarded take-out packaging.

For its restaurants across Canada, though, the most visible change will be extreme makeovers designed to get adult customers to hang around longer.

More than 90 per cent of the 1,400 locations in the country have already been enabled with free Wi-Fi.

Renovations that include muted paint tones and contemporary lamps, along with the introduction of lounge chairs, will soon commence in Canada.

These moves have coincided with calls to retire the Ronald McDonald mascot on the grounds that cartoon fast-food marketing has contributed to childhood obesity rates after Happy Meals were banned in San Francisco.

But the earnest new commercials, which liken McDonald's ingredients to what Canadians keep in their kitchens, are a reminder that no parent ever figured out how to make a Big Mac at home.

(Reuters Photo)