McDonald's Repeats: Facts Will Prevail Over Unfair Obesity Lawsuit

The following is being issued by McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD):

  -- Common sense tells you this lawsuit makes no sense.  It is baseless and
     lacks merit.

  -- First, with most meals eaten at home in America, and about 900,000
     dining options available to consumers across the U.S. every day,
     McDonald's is no more responsible for an individual's overall diet and
     lifestyle choices than any other food destination, whether it's your
     own kitchen, local restaurant or grocery store.

  -- It is unfair and absurd to single out one restaurant from the limitless
     eating choices available today.

  -- Most importantly, a report from America's health leader, the U.S.
     Surgeon General, identified three key factors that contribute to weight
     issues:

     1. An increasingly sedentary lifestyle
     2. A steady reduction in physical education programs in our schools
     3. A lack of moderation in day-to-day eating habits, including meals
        eaten at home

  -- The American Dietetic Association states that "All Foods Can Fit" into
     a healthy eating style.  They emphasize the importance of the total
     diet rather than focusing on any one food or meal.

  -- Additionally, many nutrition professionals will tell you that
     McDonald's food can be a part of a healthy diet based on the sound
     nutrition principles of balance, variety and moderation.

  -- In an excerpt from McDonald's response to the lawsuit ...  "Diet is
     determined by multiple decisions that each person makes every day about
     what, how often, and how much to eat.  One type or source of food, much
     less a particular restaurant, cannot determine a person's overall
     diet . . . Choices regarding diet are limitless (McDonalds's itself
     offers a wide range of choices) and consist of countless factors beyond
     a visit to McDonald's.  These choices are wholly beyond McDonald's
     control."

  -- The facts about our quality food, the variety of our menu, the choices
     we provide and the nutrition information McDonald's makes available
     through brochures, our website or our toll-free customer number clearly
     demonstrate how unfair these claims really are.

  -- In fact, a recent viewer survey by CNBC seems to indicate that
     a majority of Americans don't believe these claims make any sense
     either.  According to CNBC, 90% of the respondents said "fast food
     companies should not be held liable for treating obesity-related
     diseases."

  -- In the final analysis, this is strictly a legal issue that will be
     determined by the courts.  McDonald's trusts the courts, the merits of
     our case and remains confident that the facts will prevail.

  Walt Riker
  McDonald's Spokesman
  November 21, 2002

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SOURCE: McDonald's Corporation

CONTACT: Walt Riker of McDonald's Corporation, +1-630-623-7318

Web site: http://www.mcdonalds.com/