Restaurant Marketing Blog

Friday, April 03, 2009

As a guest, I’m a little shocked that my favorite salad that I’ve been eating at one of my favorite chain restaurants is 1,900 calories!

What was supposed to be healthy was not healthy. I’m feeling a little deceived, but that’s my fault for making an unintelligent choice. After some reading, I’m finding out that there’s a lot on the menu that’s really high in calories.

Now in full disclosure, I admit I’m ignorant about food nutrients ... but still smart enough to know that a salad, a sandwich, an entree, appetizer or dessert with a calorie count in the 1,200-2,500+ range, can’t be all that healthy.

And so I raise these questions and scenarios, noting that some states are trying to pass legislation that chain restaurants post calorie counts on their menus….

Should (chain) restaurants be morally and socially responsible for alerting their guests, on their menu, of certain items that have an over-abundant amount of calories, much like some restaurants take a similar and positive approach by noting what’s “heart-healthy”?

Or, in addressing the chain restaurants, do you leave it to the few guests who might inquire about the calorie count of your entrees and salads in which case, do you have that information readily available?

For the independent and the eclectic gourmet restaurants that change their menus daily, or add immediate “dinner specials,” posting calorie counts would pose a huge and costly problem. If ever legislated, some would probably choose to close their doors rather than go through this expense and turmoil.

My position on this is that the burden of responsibility has to be on the guest. Personally, I need to be more aware of food products that increase the calorie count or the sodium count in what I’m eating. I need to better educate myself.

However, when I have questions about a specific entree, how it’s made and what it’s cooked with, I would like to be informed and would hope you would be knowledgeable about the food you serve to answer my questions. Unless you’re a chain restaurant, I wouldn’t expect you to know the calorie count of the ingredients.

On the flip side of the coin, just what if restaurants had a better knowledge of the science of food nutrients? Would it be an asset to you? Would it differentiate you from others? Would you have a story to tell? Maybe yes, maybe no.

We all agree that guests are becoming more knowledgable about what they eat, although many times they dispose that knowledge when eating at a restaurant. We hear how guests forget about their diets when dining out. It’s their reward for being good the previous week.

But what happens if that changes? Remember how fast every restaurant got on the low-carb bandwagon five years ago? Those that didn’t change lost sales. And, what if there was a guest revolt against Quizno’s and their large Tuna Melt that has 2,090 calories or Outback’s Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing at a whopping 2,900 calories?

Far-fetched you may say? Not really. Just one or two influential bloggers spreading the word can cost these restaurants millions in sales and good-will. Just something to think about.

Which leads me to this question, “Do low-calorie or low-sodium menus make any sense to some of you?” I don’t have the answer, but again something to think about.

In conclusion, I don’t have the answers to these very tough questions. I’m only a guest that is going to take it upon myself to be better educated and informed on what I eat. That is my personal responsibility.

But I sense that the answer isn’t to just ignore the questions or the scenarios I’ve painted. I do know this—the world is changing even as we speak. Trends, diets, news and gossip can spread in nanoseconds. Our guests are changing. They are more informed than ever. Graying baby boomers are more health conscious. Gyms are booked to capacity. Books like ” Eat This, Not That” are best-sellers. Nothing is the same anymore. Just something to think about.

JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO KNOW:

Olive Garden - Fettuccine Alfredo- 1,220 calories, 75g fat, 1,350mg sodium.
Red Lobster - Admiral’s Feast- 1,506 calories, 93.4g fat, 4,662mg sodium.
Macaroni Grill - Parmesan Crusted Sole - 2,190 calories, 141g fat, 2,980mg sodium.
Applebee’s - Crispy Orange Chicken Bowl - 1,910 calories.
Denny’s - The famous Slam breakfasts all top 800 calories.
Blimpie Veggie Supreme - (12”) 1,106 calories.
Uno Chicago Grill Classic Deep Dish Pizza - 2,310 calories, 4,470mg sodium.
Chili’s Smokehouse Bacon Triple-The-Cheese Big Mouth Burger with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing - 2,040 calories, 150g fat, 110g protein, 4,900mg sodium.
Baskin Robbins Large Chocolate Oreo Shake - 2,600 calories, 263g sugar, 1,700 mg sodium.
Chipotle Mexican Grilled Chicken Burrito - 1,179 calories, 2,656mg sodium.

Source: www.menshealth.com

Posted by jcohen in • Restaurant Marketing
(0) Trackbacks • Permalink