Having your favourite food item removed from the menu can be distressing.

Just ask some Singaporeans.

McDonald's removes classic Coke from Singapore outlets

It turns out McDonald's in Singapore has almost overnight removed Coca-Cola Classic from all its outlets island-wide.

The next best option available is a healthier version of the drink, Coca-Cola Original Taste Less Sugar.

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One customer, Joel Loo, recently found out to his chagrin that McDonald's Singapore is no longer serving Coca-Cola Classic.

While some might just suck it up or welcome the change, customers like Loo were furious.

Forced on customers

Loo felt that a decision had been forced on customers to take the less sugar option, without providing them with the freedom of choice.

On March 6,  he posted on the fast food giant's Facebook page, asking them to "bring back our old coke" and to "give us a choice".

The reason for the change

McDonald's in Singapore responded to Loo's post, saying that they would reach out to him via private message.

According to a screenshot of the conversation between Loo and McDonald's, the fast food chain clarified that this was part of Coca-Cola Singapore's efforts to give Singaporeans more of the drinks they want, while supporting the government's national plan to curb the rise of diabetes.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1272"] Screenshot via Joel Loo's post[/caption]

No need to remove regular Coke

Loo, however, doubled down, and claimed that reports by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and a Citizens Jury for the War on Diabetes did not mention that unhealthy choices had to be removed.

Will look into suggestion

In response, McDonald's thanked Loo for his "detailed" explanation, and said that they will take his suggestion into consideration:

Fight for Coke's return

In case you weren't sure how serious Loo is, he made another post to fight for the return of Coca-Cola Classic as an option on the menu.

It was a lot more harshly worded, with Loo even going as far as saying that McDonald's shouldn't "punish the rest of us for the failure of other individuals to take care of themselves".

In case you cannot read his embedded post above, here's what Loo wrote:

"I don't usually rant now a days, but providing an option is different from taking away and forcing the option on the rest of us.

Don't punish the rest of us for the failure of other individuals to take care of themselves.

Give me back my classic coke. People who don't bother or watch their diets, or care for their healthy will find other avenues to harm themselves.

The Coca-Cola tastes different! I want the full experience at McDonald's, not watered down soda!

#BringBackClassic

Loo even started a Facebook page called "Bring Back Classic". 

This time, his call to action gathered some traction, with some regular Coke heads supporting his movement.

McDonald's food is still the same

Some said that while it was a move in line with the war against diabetes, it was a contradictory message given that McDonald's, being a fast food restaurant, is not the healthiest fare on the planet:

Diabetes can be inherited

Some took the opportunity to correct Loo's passionate statement, as it assumed that those with people with diabetes didn't take care of themselves:

Bring normal Coke back

It also seems that others are beginning to bombard McDonald's with the same demand:

Whether McDonald's actually takes Loo's suggestion into consideration is another story, but for now, this seems like the easiest thing to do:

Top image via Joel Loo's post and McDonald's Singapore.