It’s no big surprise that the initial reaction to requirements to post full nutritional information may be one of fear. Fear that customers may change purchasing habits when full disclosure is in place and that business will be affected.
Well, it’s true.
Studies show that up to 80% of consumers do alter their order when presented with nutritional information.
But it doesn’t all have to be bad news.
Stories of chains such as Applebee’s, Starbucks and Chipotle show that embracing the trend of transparency with consumers can actually positively impact on their bottom line. Each of these chains chose to see food labeling as an opportunity to welcome consumers hungry to be informed.
Under influence of required menu labeling and fear that diners would be aghast at nutritional content of menu choices, Applebee’s introduced the “Unbelievably Great Tasting and Under 550 Calories”. According to Applebee’s president Mike Archer “All it takes is one person who wants to be healthier to say we don’t have anything healthy on our menu and they don’t come to Applebee’s. We want to have something for all four of those people.” The new menu items has helped to attract an audience of diners who traditionally may have forgone dining at Applebee’s.
When New York City introduced legislation requiring nutrition information be displayed in retail establishments, coffee giant Starbucks immediately saw a shift in the ordering habits of it’s customers as they shifted to lower calorie selections according to a Stanford University Study. As a result the chain introduced its “skinny” offerings nation wide…and found an audience hungry for alternatives, and willing to spend for them. The chain now offers not only these reduced calorie menu items, but also nutritional information at each of it’s over 7800 locations.
Lastly, let’s look at burrito giant Chipotle. After a series of unsatisfactory marketing campaigns had them shuffle through a series of the nation’s most highly regarded ad agencies, the chain chose to forgo industry standard marketing tactics for a slightly more grassroots approach. Fire the last of the big names and create an in house marketing department that doesn’t really market. Instead the chain focuses on creating and serving “food with integrity” and relying on non traditional word-of-mouth marketing. The company has selected to focus on it’s commitment to naturally raised meats and organic ingredients and informing consumers of such, and in turn has created an extremely loyal customer base.
Transparency in the kitchen, through offering nutritional information to consumers is a great opportunity for your business. As we saw with Chipotle, that transparency is not restricted to calorie counts. As the population of eaters with special needs such as food allergies, sensitivities, Celiac disease, and other restrictive dietary needs increases, so does the opportunity to establish your dining establishment as a resource for this audience. Embracing consumers demands to be informed is a great opportunity for you, should you choose to embrace it. Still unsure? The MenuTrinfo staff is here to help you. Call us today at 1.888.767.MENU and our team of experts will help you see menu nutrition labeling for the opportunity it is.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.miller-mccune.com/health/restaurant-menu-labels-can-make-a-difference-16114/
http://online.wsj.com/article
/SB10001424052748704381604575005530811257728.html
http://adage.com/article?article_id=146181
