Fast-food chain McDonald’s has introduced exercise bikes into at least one of its Chinese outlets, allowing patrons to turn their burger-fueled energy into electricity and charge their phones, as demonstrated in a viral video.
The clip, posted on Friday by TikTok user ‘cris13yu’, shows a woman in what appears to be a Chinese McDonald’s, tucking into a burger while cycling away on a McDonald’s-branded exercise bike.
The video, which has garnered millions of likes and tens of thousands of comments, has got people asking whether the fast-food outlet will be rolling out their stationary exercise bikes elsewhere in the world.
While the exact location of the store in the viral video is unknown, McDonald’s China announced the opening of its first so-called “low-carbon life experience store” in Jieyang, Guangdong province, in September.
In a press release, the American burger giant hailed the opening, noting that customers would be able to use the stationary bikes, as seen in the viral TikTok, to turn their own energy into electricity.
The bikes, made from recycled material, also allow users to recharge their phones. “It is environmentally friendly, convenient and feels fun as well as representing the essence of a low-carbon life,” the statement reads. There is no mention of the health benefits of exercise.
As noted by the Daily Mail, a Big Mac meal contains over 1,000 calories, meaning customers would need to cycle between 13.5 miles and 27 miles on the bikes to burn it off.
In the press release, McDonald’s said it’s partnered with the Wanda Group to open 63 “green” restaurants, offering their unique take on prandial jocundity to millions more around China, although it is not clear whether all restaurants will feature the exercise bikes.
