The article focuses on the dilemma that restaurants face when consumers SAY one thing – they want healthy food choices – yet DO something entirely different – like order a double cheeseburger and fries.
From the Washington Post, August 18, 2005: Hold The Health, Serve That Burger:
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… while customers say they want more nutritious choices, they rarely order them. As a result, fast food and casual dining chains -- which together account for three out of four U.S. restaurant visits -- are slowly going back to what they do best: indulging Americans' taste for high-calorie, high-fat fare.
Sadly, the availability of healthy food choices ranks 10th out of 12 dining attributes that consumers look for while eating out. And I was shocked to read that only 2.4% of McD’s customers have ordered salads. … while customers say they want more nutritious choices, they rarely order them. As a result, fast food and casual dining chains -- which together account for three out of four U.S. restaurant visits -- are slowly going back to what they do best: indulging Americans' taste for high-calorie, high-fat fare.
As a result of consumers voting against healthy choices with their wallets, not only are healthy items being taken off or moved to the back of menus, but restaurants are serving pretend ‘healthy’ food in an attempt to seem health-conscious while still giving people the same old high-calorie junk:
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Some restaurants have found that the best way to sell healthful items is to make them seem nutritious even if they're not. Fried white meat chicken strips have become popular on many menus and are big sellers, including atop salads, in keeping with the general perception that chicken is a more healthful alternative to beef. But at Wendy's, the Homestyle Chicken Strips Salad, eaten with one pack of ranch dressing, packs 670 calories and 45 grams of fat -- more than any hamburger or sandwich on the menu.
Check out the artivle and let’s talk about restaurant food -- Some restaurants have found that the best way to sell healthful items is to make them seem nutritious even if they're not. Fried white meat chicken strips have become popular on many menus and are big sellers, including atop salads, in keeping with the general perception that chicken is a more healthful alternative to beef. But at Wendy's, the Homestyle Chicken Strips Salad, eaten with one pack of ranch dressing, packs 670 calories and 45 grams of fat -- more than any hamburger or sandwich on the menu.