McDonald’s China is testing out new seating for dine-in customers: exercise bikes. Recently, footage of a woman pedaling on a stationary bike while eating a hamburger went viral on social media, and afterward, the company confirmed that it was testing the bikes at locations in Guangdong and Shanghai. Many health advocates scoffed at the idea that working out while eating could offset the meal’s high calorie count,* pointing out that you’d need to pedal for hours for it to be effective. McDonald’s has made efforts to clean up its menu in recent years, such as reducing the number of fries in Happy Meals. But the company maintains that the bikes aren’t about health but sustainability: Pedaling the bikes generates electricity, which can charge customers’ phones and devices. The goal is to allow “more consumers to learn about and participate in green and low-carbon initiatives in a practical way,” McDonald’s China said. If the bikes end up helping customers be healthier, well, that’s just a bonus. It remains to be seen whether this initiative will be expanded to more cities around the world.


*A Big Mac Combo Meal contains 1,080 calories, roughly half of the recommended daily amount for an average adult.