Supersize means "larger than average or standard sizes; extremely large".[1][importance?] The phrase was particularly used by McDonald's restaurants to upsize their French fries and soft drinks to an extra-large size. In the United States, McDonald's introduced the supersized option in the summer of 1987.[2]
For Disney's 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, instead of running a Happy Meal promotion targeted at children, they opted for a "super-size" promotion, "designed to appeal to teenagers and young adults, the same as the movie's audience".[3] The same held true for the 1993 Steven Spielberg film Jurassic Park, when McDonald's introduced their Dino-Sized drink and fry options.[4]
In March 2004, six weeks after the debut of Morgan Spurlock's heavily critical documentary Super Size Me,[5] McDonald's announced a plan to phase out the Supersize option, citing needs to simplify the menu and to offer healthier food choices.[6][7]
^McLagan, Meg. "Imagining Impact: Documentary Film and the Production of Political Effects". In McLagan, Meg; McKee, Yates (eds.). Sensible Politics: The Visual Culture of Nongovernmental Politics. Zone Books. p. 304.