What does being gay have to do with eating hamburgers?

McDonald's goes gay in new TV ad

McDonald's has targeted gay teenagers in a new commercial which local rights advocates say is a refreshing step forward for the fast food giant.

The ad, which will air in France, shows a teenage boy sitting at a table while talking on a mobile phone and looking at a class photograph.

"I was thinking about you too ... I'm looking at your class picture," the boy says in French.

The teenager's father returns to the table with their meal and says: "It's a shame you’re in an all-boys college. You would have had all the girls chasing you."

The teen gives his father a sly smile as the tagline "Come as you are" appears on the bottom of the screen.

The advertisement is one of several in the new McDonald's campaign.

Gay advocates have hailed the ad as a "big step forward".

"It depicts a young gay man realistically and without judgement and it includes gay people in an institution that, for many families, is an integral part of their everyday life," Australian Coalition for Equality spokesman Rodney Croome said.

"If McDonalds' aim was to make an ad which says 'everybody is welcome' then it has succeeded and I'd strongly urge McDonalds in Australia to do the same."

But other advocates have slammed the ad, saying it fails to hit the mark.

"What does being gay have to do with eating hamburgers?" gay activist Gary Burns said.

"The ad should have a more inclusive message based around tolerance and understanding for gay men and lesbians in society in general and not just in McDonald's hamburger joints."

McDonald's Australia told ninemsn there were no plans to produce a local version of the ad.