• Posted by: Kim Bianchi
• On: 08/14/2006 19:13:48
• In: Marketing & Advertising

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Fast Food And America’s Obesity

It has been a daily topic in the headlines for well over a year now; the way Americans eat and the statistics about our overweight society. In researching this topic, the word “epidemic” was used in eight different articles so I visited Webster’s dictionary for the definition of the word. “Excessively Prevalent, Contagious, Affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals. A natural population suddenly and greatly enlarged.” I found the last an interesting choice of words within this subject.

Being in the foodservice sales industry, there are two sides to consider in this era. As always, there’s good and bad news; the cup is either half empty or half full. The bad news is the legislation and class action suits drawn against national chain leaders (Burger King, McDonalds and KFC) attempting to establish liability for consumers obesity based on lack of nutritional information provided by the restaurants. Fast food operators are taking the rap for the fat. Obese plaintiffs file suit, claiming that they thought the food was “good for them”. Amazing. It seems ludicrous that a lot of this legislation has been found to have merit within our system. You may recall that not too long ago, Phillip Morris was found liable in a class action based on consciously selling product that knowingly caused addiction and disease. Apparently these folks were not able to read or understand the surgeon general warning on every pack. Remember McDonalds, found negligent for serving “coffee –too hot”. What’s next? Suing Mother Nature for bad weather that contributes to the flu? Sometimes I get a headache from too much time in front of the computer. Perhaps I should call a lawyer and get busy pursuing Bill Gates.

Fast food restaurants are feeling the heat, but there is good news. It creates a ton of opportunity to cater to this “society epidemic”. Take a look at Subway. They have done a remarkable job in marketing a healthy menu. Providing low-fat content information on each sandwich that creates consumer draw to fast but not fat. The consumer is getting the convenient and timely fast food fix, with reassurance that it will not create health problems. Recognizing society’s demand of fast food in conjunction with growing health concerns is the key to riding the wave of this opportunity.

The big guys are quickly jumping on Subways coattails and have added creative salads, healthy yogurt desserts, and now they are posting notices that nutritional information is available upon request. (I wonder how often the customer ordering a double cheeseburger, super-sized fries and a diet coke ask for this information.) Unfortunately not only is America fat, but we are a society quick to pass the buck and not take responsibility for our actions and decisions. Therefore, restaurants must protect themselves by having nutritional values available.

Many restaurants are creating healthy menu alternatives. This is not a new practice, however the marketing and focus of these alternatives combined with developing consumer awareness is creating an explosive new demand for us in the foodservice industry. The good news is the national chains are footing the cost of marketing more nutritional offerings. As long as the independent operator responds and addresses consumer demand with creative alternatives to the greasy burger and boring salads, they can take advantage of this marketing.

There are endless opportunities in developing new flavor profiles and exciting alternatives for the health conscious customer. Combining low fat proteins with fresh greens and a proprietary “healthy house dressing” is one way to combat the competition and fulfill consumer demand. Creative descriptions on your menu that accentuate or define low-fat or low-cholesterol items will help customers feel confident in ordering something good for them, without worrying about losing flavor or eating enjoyment. Provide a low-carb menu insert to thrill Atkin’s followers (see Industry Insight article) and make them enjoy the dine-out experience without throwing their diet.

Don’t let the daily news of our overweight society scare you. We can leap the hurdle of consumer trust and confidence and prove that Americans can still enjoy fast food and family dining on a regular basis by providing tasty, healthy choices. Make sure your menu is meeting consumer demand while at the same time creating a healthier America.