Would you like a gas guzzler with your chicken Mcnuggets?

When General Motors introduced the 11-miles-to-the-gallon Hummer H2 four years ago, it redefined American extravagance. But now, with gas at more than $3 a gallon, sales of Hummers are declining, as Americans become increasingly conscious of gas mileage. McDonald's, however, appears not to have gotten the message. This summer, it put toy Hummers in children's Happy Meal boxes. "Anything that sends a message to kids that these are the cool vehicles to buy is the wrong message," says one environmental spokesman. McDonald's says the promotion was intended to bring "the fun and excitement of Hummer vehicles" to "McDonald's youngest guests." Its decision to run the promotion is surprising, given that the fast-food chain has strived in recent years to bolster its image as an environmentally aware company.--Melanie Warner [8/10/06]