Choices on the menu

April 25th, 2013

The findings from an experiment by Gallicano et al. that was conducted on 264 restaurant customers at a full-service a-la-carte restaurant reveal that a majority of consumers (54%) selects a healthier, Choices-labelled menu item when this option is provided in a full service restaurant. Furthermore, people selecting the Choices menu item most often refer to other nutritional information provided with their menu choice. The study provides recommendations to the food industry for directing consumers toward healthier items. This is the first study on Choices labelling undertaken in a full-service restaurant setting. Earlier results of a study by Vyth et al. showed that the Choices label usually does not direct consumers in a self-service cafeteria, with the exception of a small, health-conscious subgroup.

Gallicano R, et al. Consumer Response to Nutrition Information Menu Labelling in Full-Service Restaurants: Making the Healthy Choice, in Joseph S. Chen (ed.) Advances in Hospitality and Leisure (Advances in Hospitality and Leisure, Volume 8), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.109-125.

Vyth EL, et al. (2011). Influence of Placement of a Nutrition Logo on Cafeteria Menu Items on Lunchtime Food Choices at Dutch Work Sites. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 111: 131-136.

Please click here to access the full study by Gallicano.