Will You Be Ordering Kale From McDonald's?

If McDonald's starts putting kale on the menu, will more customers bite?

That's the big question reportedly looming over the burger behemoth's head right now, as consumers, especially American ones, continue to slip through its fingers.

Although McDonald's has not confirmed the rumor, an analyst for Janney Capital Markets told Nation's Restaurant News that indeed, kale will be introduced to the menu within the year.

Whether it's a strategy from the company to adapt to changing consumer tastes — a measure that the company has described as "urgent" — or to try anything once, or both, the rumor doesn't come as too much of a surprise. McDonald's really needs your business, and kale is the next tool in the arsenal.

As NRN puts it, "kale could be part of an effort by McDonald's to appeal to more health conscious consumers. It would also in theory give the brand a health halo, giving consumers a better perception of the brand even when they order Big Macs and large fries."

Last week, in another clear move to meet consumer demands, the company announced that it had begun phasing out antibiotics in its poultry, and would soon introduce hormone-free milk. Burger King, meanwhile, announced today that it would remove soda from its children's menus, echoing the actions of other fast food giants before it.

As McDonald's and its competitors battle to stay relevant, consumers at least stand to benefit from healthier options across the board. It does make us wonder, though — will McDonald's adoption of kale finally make it okay not to care about kale?