Burger King joins McDonald's in charging for kids' meal toys

Burger King is now the second national fast-food chain to announce that it will comply with San Francisco's ban on toy giveaways with kids' meals that are high in fat, sugar and salt by not offering the trinkets for free any more.

Instead, just like McDonald's decided, customers who want the toys in San Francisco will have to pay.

"Toys will be available for purchase for 10 cents more,"Kristen Hauser, a spokeswoman for Burger King, said Wednesday.

McDonald's said that money from the toy sales will be used to help build a Ronald McDonald House for families of young patients being treated at the new UCSF hospital at Mission Bay.

Burger King has not decided what to do with the toy proceeds, Hauser said.

San Francisco's new law went into effect December 1. It bars chain restaurants from giving out free toys in Happy Meals and other menu items intended for children that don't meet strict nutritional standards. The law also requires servings of fruits and vegetables.