Christmas Lights & Equal Rights ~ #CBias #EqualCanada @McD_Canada

Our little girl is now 2 1/2 and is finally starting to 'get' Christmas... which is so exciting! That being said, there are so many new opportunities to keep her busy and entertained.  Tonight, it was a car drive to see some Christmas Lights and a trip to McDonald's PlayPlace, since I had received a great opportunity from Collective Bias to go and see if my local McDonald's offered Equal sweetener to their customers (and Mommy needed a coffee fix).

We enjoy going to the McDonald's in Tantallon, not just because it is the closest, but because it is one of the few McDonald's left in our area that has a PlayPlace.  While I am all for change, I miss the 'old school' McDonalds, with the bright colours and fun atmosphere.  

One of the first visible signs coming up to the door at our local McDonald's is the McCafe poster.  I've tried and reviewed some of the new McCafe espresso-based drinks before, and while I haven't loved all of them, their brewed coffee is miles ahead of what it used to be and is better than some other places that mainly serve coffee.

We weren't getting meals tonight, but I'll have to get back to get one of the Hello Kitty toys... and maybe I'll get our daughter one too ;)

My husband and daughter shared a Rolo McFlurry and I grabbed a medium coffee.  We had eaten dinner not too long before, and while I was planning on just having coffee, I had a weak moment and grabbed a small fries too... even though the atmosphere has changed, McDonald's fries still take me back in time whenever I eat them.  They are always so yummy.  When I ordered my coffee, I was asked what I would like in it.  I told the girl (who by the way, was soooo cheerful, polite and 'unbored' looking, a wonderful change!) that I would take milk and an Equal.  She let me know that they only have another brand of sweetener.  I like my after dinner coffees sweet, and I don't like adding extra sugar to my coffee (c'mon, you see the things I bake, I have to cut down wherever I can!) so I had to accept the other brand. 

I noticed some of the new seasonal treats once we sat down... there is always next time :P

The PlayPlace in this McDonald's is really cool, always clean, and the structure is really high.  Luckily our daughter can't really climb up into it that far yet, so I haven't had any freak out moments.  I know she is going to love scaring me in it over the next few years.

Hubby and I took turns going into the PlayPlace with her, even though I love how you can sit right outside of it and look in while you are eating.  She loves to show us all the cool things she can do though, so we alternate snacking and playing.  It's pretty nice to be wanted and I know soon enough she won't want us hanging around at all in public.   Then, she spotted Daddy's ice cream...

We finished up our treats, took a last run around the PlayPlace, bundled up and went on a drive to see "More Cwissmiss Wites!"

When we got home, I filled out the online comment card (the greener option) and wrote how I would like to have more sweetener options and hoped they would provide Equal as an option for consumers like myself.  I also gave Kudos to the pleasant girl who took our order, although the time spent waiting for such a small order was a bit of a change from what I'm used to at McDonald's.

  

I really hope that McDonald's will see that it would be better for business to offer a wider selection of sweetener choices, including Equal, at all of their locations.

For more information about Equal, visit their website or connect via Twitter or their Facebook Page.  McDonald's is also on Twitter.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.  #CBias, all opinions though, are my own - as always.