Back by Popular Demand, McDonald's(R) Reintroduces the Asian Salad

OAK BROOK, IL--(Marketwire - May 11, 2011) - Beginning this month through early September, McDonald's customers across the country can enjoy a returning favorite -- the Asian Salad. Joining McDonald's existing line of Premium Salads, the refreshing summertime meal choice offers customers a unique flavor experience delivering some essential vitamins and minerals -- all for less than 400 calories when served with grilled chicken.

"The return of the Asian Salad to our menu is an example of McDonald's commitment to listening and responding to our customers' needs, by providing well-balanced and great-tasting meal choices," said Senior Director of Nutrition Cindy Goody, PhD, MBA, RD, LDN. "With about three cups of vegetables per salad, our Premium Salads are delicious and convenient choices that make it easier for our guests to incorporate this important food group into their day."

McDonald's Asian Salad is a mouth-watering blend of vegetables including premium greens, tender edamame and snow peas, red bell peppers, and sweet mandarin oranges, as well as sliced, toasted almonds. Served with a packet of Newman's Own® Low-fat Sesame Ginger Dressing, it's available with a warm orange-glazed grilled or crispy white meat chicken breast filet.

"From edamame to mandarin oranges, each ingredient in the Asian Salad comes together to create an outstanding combination of tastes, colors and textures," says Chef Dan Coudreaut, Senior Director of Culinary Innovation, McDonald's USA. "The inspired, unique ingredients of the salad are beautifully balanced with Sesame Ginger Dressing to give our guests a refreshing experience that is on trend with their evolving tastes."

The Asian Salad with grilled chicken delivers about 360 calories when tossed in one packet of Newman's Own^® Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing and customers can choose to have their salad without chicken for only 240 calories.

Additionally, one serving of the Asian Salad delivers essential nutrients including:

• 21 percent of the Daily Value per serving for dietary fiber
• 70 percent of the Daily Value per serving for vitamin C
• 160 percent the Daily Value per serving for vitamin A

"The Asian Salad is another example of McDonald's commitment to offering accessible and affordable vegetable choices, an important food group encouraged by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010," said Elizabeth Pinvoka, PhD, RD, President of Produce for Better Health Foundation. "We recently commended McDonald's as the first quick-service restaurant to receive our Role Model recognition for extraordinary support of the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters® national public health initiative to help consumers eat more of these important food groups."

The quality ingredients in McDonald's Premium Salads come from a select group of trusted, industry-leading suppliers. All of McDonald's Premium Salads are made fresh daily.

For more information about McDonald's full line of premium salads and menu choices visit www.mcdonalds.com/nutrition. Information for a selection of McDonald's menu items is also available on HealthyDiningFinder.com, a dietitian-approved website featuring Healthy Dining menu choices.

About McDonald's
McDonald's USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to more than 26 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local businessmen and women. Customers can now log online for free at any of the 11,500 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter (@McDonalds) and Facebook (Facebook.com/McDonalds) for updates on our business, promotions and products.

About Produce forBetter Health Foundation
Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) fruit and vegetable education foundation. Since 1991, PBH has worked to motivate people to eat more fruits and vegetables to improve public health. PBH achieves success through industry and government collaboration, first with the 5 A Day program and now with the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters public health initiative. Fruits & Veggies-More Matters is the nation's largest public-private, fruit and vegetable nutrition education initiative with Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Coordinators in each state, territory and the military. To learn more, visit www.PBHFoundation.org and www.FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.org.

About Healthy Dining
Since 1990, Healthy Dining's culinary nutrition experts have been guiding and inspiring chefs and restaurateurs to create and serve a selection of dietitian-approved Healthy Dining menu options. A leader in restaurant nutrition, the company works with hundreds of restaurant companies and has analyzed thousands of menu items for nutrient content. In collaboration with the National Restaurant Association, Healthy Dining leads the largest-ever restaurant industry nutrition initiative. HealthyDiningFinder.com, the only resource of its kind, helps Americans find dietitian-approved Healthy Dining menu options, with corresponding nutrient information, served at restaurants nationwide ranging from fast food to upscale dining. The site is promoted to the growing segment of health- and weight-conscious consumers through employers, health organizations, health insurance companies, weight control programs, fitness centers, the media, and much more. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided partial funding for the development of the initiative.