McDonald's News <b></b>

Oak Brook, Illinois--McDonald's has been trying to sell salads for more than a decade. At first they were sold in containers displayed in countertop refrigerators. More recently, the featured offering was McSalad Shakers--a sort of salad in a cup. These are being replaced by the Premium Salads, which are finally getting sales traction. The Premium Salads boast 300 calories or fewer, are made to order and blend iceberg lettuce with more nutritional greens such as spinach, radicchio and arugula. They can be topped with grilled or crispy chicken and offer a choice of four Newman's Own dressing flavors. The salad line has boosted the sales of other products, with Happy Meal sales the strongest in two years and grilled chicken sandwich sales up 25 percent. -USA Today

McDonald's Corp. is working on an alternative for parents who wish their kids would lay off the french fries in Happy Meals--apple slices that can be dipped in caramel. A three-market test of the item, called Apple Dippers, is planned for later this summer. The substitution does cost 20 cents. McDonald's restaurants in the United Kingdom already offer fresh fruit with Happy Meals while those in Sweden have baby carrots and juice as options. -Dow Jones