Along with buying behavior, consumer mindset also
is shifting. It’s no longer acceptable for healthy options to be treated as culinary afterthoughts. Three-fifths of consumers
now believe restaurants can offer food that is both
healthful and tasty, reports Chicago research company
Technomic. “They want healthy, but they want healthy
that tastes amazing,” says Brian Sullivan, senior vice president
of culinary development at Playa Vista, Calif.-based
California Pizza Kitchen.
In a world where operators can no longer afford to skip
any traffic opportunities, having healthful options is ever
more important—especially for attracting younger diners.
Technomic found that 38 percent of consumers are more
likely to visit a restaurant that offers healthy options, even
if they don’t end up ordering them. This jumps to 50 per