On display: The difference between the inept mindlessness of government bureaucracy versus the innovative, way-around strategy of the private sector.

And yet it seems McDonald’s has turned lemons into lemonade — and is selling the sugary drink to San Francisco’s children. Local McDonald’s employees tell SF Weekly the company has devised a solution that appears to comply with San Francisco’s “Healthy Meal Incentive Ordinance” that could actually make the company more money — and necessitate toy-happy youngsters to buy more Happy Meals.

It turns out San Francisco has not entirely vanquished the Happy Meal as we know it. Come Dec. 1, you can still buy the Happy Meal. But it doesn’t come with a toy. For that, you’ll have to pay an extra 10 cents.

The extra profit? Being donated to Ronald McDonald charities, known for providing support and housing for sick children and their families. McDonalds gets to keep doing what it was doing before the Nanny State ban and sick children get more support.

McDonalds 1 – San Fran Nannies 0

And there’s more. We talk about the left’s unintended consequences here a lot. Here’s a new one: Thanks to the stupid Nanny State law, parents will no longer be allowed to purchase just the toy. They’ll have to buy the Happy Meal, too. Where do you think that food’s going, in the trash? Unlikely.

San Francisco Weekly concludes:

Hilariously, it appears Mar et al., in their desire to keep McDonald’s from selling grease and fat to kids with the lure of a toy have now actually incentivized the purchase of that grease and fat — when, beforehand, a put-upon parent could get out cheaper and healthier with just the damn toy.

Unintended consequences. Something lefties rarely consider and always ignore.