If You Make It, Will They Come?
Are Consumers Buying Fast Food’s Healthier Options?
By Stacey Freis, MS, RD, CNSD, CDN
Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 7 No. 8 P. 47

Fast food providers will never lose the burgers and fries, but they are making changes. If consumers don’t buy, how long can we expect healthier items to stay on the menu?

Fast food reflects many Americans’ lifestyle—it is food that is quick and easy for people on the run. Whether it’s Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, or Burger King, fast food’s influence on the American diet cannot be denied.

Fast food menus are looking different lately, offering options to their traditional high-fat, high-calorie fare. Providing the public with choices is commendable, but some say it is a partial solution because personal responsibility for healthy eating is the larger issue. You can lead consumers to healthy choices, but you can’t make them eat.

I took a look at several fast food providers and talked with RDs affiliated with them and the food industry to find the answers. Are fast food providers interested in helping people lead more healthy lifestyles?

The answer is yes and no. On one hand, we have all seen the advertisements for the healthier salads and low-fat dressings, but they are often pricier than the reason people have flocked to fast food places in the past—hamburgers, fries, and chicken nuggets. While low-fat yogurts with granola and fruit are now available, the other side of the menu continues to grow with bigger sandwiches and more calories.

Some fast food providers have partnered with health organizations to promote exercise to our sedentary population. Trans fat and carbohydrates seem to be on everyone’s mind, but hamburgers and fried chicken are still the biggest sellers. Each fast food chain has its own theories and tactics for trying to please the American public, providing healthier food choices while still keeping profit margins high.

McDonald’s
In 2001, Fast Food Nation exposed the dark side of the fast food industry. McDonald’s was at the heart of the book’s attack on the industry, which included an accusation that the fast food giant was responsible for the obesity epidemic. “McDonald’s is committed to playing an active role in changing the obesity debate from pointing fingers of blame to a healthy discussion of the broader issue and how we can address it,” according to Cathy Kapica, PhD, RD, global director of nutrition at McDonald’s Corporation. While most believe the book’s accusation to be false, the finger was still pointed and McDonald’s paid a price in sales. They responded with healthier menu choices and aggressive campaigning for a more active lifestyle.

By the end of 2004, McDonald’s was the largest fast food seller of salads at more than 300 million per year. “McDonald’s has been serving salads since the late 1980s,” says Kapica. “Eating trend data shows that people are eating more salads as main dishes and that is reflected in our menu offerings.” Kapica believes her company is motivated by her customers’ needs; this does include salads, although hamburgers and french fries continue to be the top two foods people prefer to eat when they are dining out.

In 2004, McDonald’s introduced Happy Meal Choices to allow parents options when purchasing food for their children. Apple Dippers, peeled slices of apples with low-fat caramel dipping sauce, were introduced as an alternative to fries at no extra charge. Low-fat milk, low-fat chocolate milk, and apple juice were added to the menu. With the introduction of the Apple Dippers, McDonald’s became the No. 1 distributor of apples in the United States as well as the leading purchaser of apples in the restaurant industry.

McDonald’s has recognized that many customers are carbohydrate-conscious. One response has been offering hamburgers and chicken wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun. McDonald’s has also reduced the amount of trans fat in their Chicken McNuggets, Crispy Chicken, and McChicken menu items. Trans fat information has also been added to their nutrition materials.

McDonald’s is aware and concerned about obesity, especially with their younger customers. For more than 20 years, McDonald’s has partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dietetic Association (ADA), and the Society for Nutrition Education to provide nutrition education programs for children, with the help of Ronald McDonald, the “chief happiness officer” and “ambassador for an active, balanced lifestyle.” Get Moving with Ronald has been shown in restaurants and communities for the past two years. Ronald McDonald can also be seen on Nickelodeon and The Cartoon Network inspiring children to be more active. Go Active With Ronald McDonald will be launched this fall. It will be a 30-minute interactive show emphasizing the importance of physical activity through music, dance, and improvisation. The hope is that Ronald McDonald’s popularity with children will help convince them of the importance of exercise in leading a healthy lifestyle.

McDonald’s has had a partnership for several years with Bob Greene, Oprah Winfrey’s personal trainer. Greene has been a key force in promoting walking. It recently announced an alliance with Rovenia Brock, PhD. She will support McDonald’s in an education campaign to help consumers, especially African Americans, better understand how to lead a balanced, active life. It is a global initiative to promote energy balance in fun and simple ways as well as connect McDonald’s with customers in relevant, culturally significant ways around the world. The campaign has been named “it’s what I eat and what I do … I’m lovin’ it” (www.goactive.com) and will be used to promote the new premium salad line.

Most of us can recall the lawsuit that made national news: two overweight teenagers blamed McDonald’s for their weight problem. While many agree that McDonald’s is not directly responsible for our country’s rising obesity epidemic, the lawsuit has created negative publicity. “Common sense tells you this particular case makes no sense,” says Kapica. “The key issue remains personal responsibility and making informed choices. McDonald’s has been and continues to be a leader in providing the information and food choices customers need to make informed decisions.”

Wendy’s
Patty Wynkoop, RD, LD, has been director of research and development/nutrition at Wendy’s International, Inc. for more than 17 years. During that time, her role as a dietitian has expanded with the company’s increased interest in nutrition. One of her jobs is to identify trends in the food industry, rather than fads. She believes in a balanced approach, and her philosophy is giving the consumer choices. “Some have large appetites and want a hamburger or chicken sandwich, and those who are watching their calories can choose a salad with fat-free dressing or a fresh fruit bowl,” says Wynkoop. She has found in her research that consumers want convenience and choice. “Diners want a unique taste, for the right price. They also want healthier choices, without sacrificing this taste,” she says.

Wendy’s also tried to create a low-carbohydrate line. The foods made it to market test, but as the low-carb fad faded so did the program.

Like McDonald’s, Wendy’s is aware of the childhood obesity crisis and as a result has revamped their kid’s meals. Children can choose 1% chocolate milk or 2% milk at no additional charge. Instead of french fries, kids can have mandarin oranges.

Adults can also make substitution of chile, a baked potato, or a side salad for French fries.

In fall 2004, Wendy’s partnered with the ADA to create a series of tips and tools to help families make informed choices when eating on the run, according to Kitty Munger, manager of communications at Wendy’s International, Inc. The Eating Better Together guide, created by Wendy’s with the ADA’s guidance, provides tips to help families eat a nutritious diet and still enjoy the great taste and convenience of quick service. The guide can also be found on the back of all the tray mats in Wendy’s restaurants as well as both the ADA’s Web site (www.eatright.org) and Wendy’s Web site (www.wendys.com).

Burger King
Burger King, like its competitors, employs an RD to guide them. “Burger King has been offering a full range of menu options for decades; better known to the company as ‘Have It Your Way,’” according to its nutritionist, Julie Haugen, MS, RD, LD. “They can ‘Have It Your Way’ by ordering a sandwich with no sauce, mustard instead of mayonnaise, low-fat and fat-free salad dressings, a side salad instead of french fries, or a burger without a bun,” says Haugen. Vegetarian burgers from Morningstar Farms are a unique feature available to its customers. Burger King also offers warm fire-grilled meats on salads with fresh vegetables. Motts Applesauce, orange juice, or 1% milk is available on the Kid’s Meals as well.

Haugen explains that Burger King R&D is looking into oils to reduce or eliminate trans fat from their cooking. Their concern is the resulting change in taste, texture, and mouth feel, as well as the increased production of off flavors from frying. The elimination of trans fat from baked products is also problematic because shortening improves the texture and stability of their croissants and biscuits.

Like its competitors, Burger King has partnered with organizations to promote fitness as part of a healthy lifestyle. Burger King participates in the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, a program that educates kids in more than 200 schools nationwide. Its Web site, www.bk.com, displays tips and brochures for low-fat, low-calorie, and low-carbohydrate eating choices.

For years, Burger King has displayed nutritional information in all restaurants via posters and brochures and now more recently through their Web site, where customers can use the nutrition calculator to figure out the nutrition content items if they “Have It Their Way.”

Despite the variety of healthier options available, customers overwhelmingly prefer the Whopper Angus steak burgers, Tendercrisp chicken, and other indulgent items, according to Haugen. “On average, only three BK Veggie burgers are sold per restaurant per day. It would be nice to see more health-conscious customers coming in to purchase the Veggie burger,” she says.

Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell, A&W, and Long John Silver’s
Yum! Brands, Inc. (www.yum.com) is the world’s largest restaurant company with more than 33,000 stores. The company’s restaurant brands include Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Long John Silver’s, and A&W. “Yum! is very concerned about the growing obesity problem and has made strides to help the American people,” according to Marilyn Schorin, PhD, RD, FADA, its chief nutrition and regulatory officer for the past year. Schorin is responsible for launching the Keep it Balanced program (www.keepitbalanced.com), which looks at obesity from a lifestyle perspective. There are posters throughout Yum! stores promoting a well-balanced diet, which includes pizza, tacos, chicken, seafood, and burgers.

In December of last year, Yum! tried to motivate people to become more physically active by launching a program with Bally Total Fitness. Customers who visited their restaurant chains could obtain a free, four-week membership to Bally Total Fitness by presenting a proof of purchase receipt. Other programs Yum! has introduced include nutritional brochures in restaurants, downloadable nutritional information, and an activity calculator on the Internet.

Taco Bell has a health-conscious line of food items available collectively named Fresco Style. It is a list of 15 items with less than 10 grams of fat, which is achieved by substituting cheese and sauce with salsa. Similarly, Pizza Hut has Fit ‘N Delicious, which offers choices that are lower in carbohydrates or fat. For example, the Carb Tracker pizza is an individual pizza with 22 to 26 net carbohydrates. According to Schorin, this item is decreasing in popularity, likely due to the fading fad of low-carbohydrate diets. The lower-fat pizza, which has 25% less fat, has half the amount of cheese, more tomato sauce, and lean meats and vegetables for toppings. The Pizza Hut Fresh Express are prepackaged salads for families on the run. KFC offers Tender Roast, a line of skinless, white meat chicken. They also offer long-grain rice and green beans as side dishes.

The idea behind these lighter fare programs is to give customers options, specifically the family, which is the target audience. “The problem is that while consumers report that they want more healthy options in fast food restaurants, people are not buying them,” according to Schorin. This has been an ongoing trend. Ten years ago, Taco Bell launched a low-fat line, Border Lights, which failed. Why? Schorin hypothesizes that people want more indulgent items when they eat out and that Americans consider dining outside the home a treat.

So what lies ahead for Yum!? Since the healthier options have proven not to be as profitable as they hoped, are they going to disappear? The answer is no, according to Schorin. She hopes marketing in the future will be geared toward healthcare professionals and that additional programs like Keep it Balanced will be created and launched.

Joanne Lichten, PhD, RD, is a restaurant industry consultant and author of Dining Lean, a book written to help the consumer make healthier dining out choices. She believes the fast food industry has made great strides in making more healthy options available. “Having these options allows the consumer to drift away from the dichotomous black-and-white thinking that foods are either healthy or unhealthy, but rather promote the idea that there is a place in the diet for every food.” The fast food industry has clearly responded to consumer demands; however, the consumer needs to “eat their words.”

The industry was first charged with developing healthier foods, and now consumers somehow have to be convinced to buy them before they disappear. Why are we not buying the healthier foods? “Is it the taste?” asks Lichten. “Maybe it is because people dine out to eat different foods than they make at home; it is easy to make a fruit salad but impossible to make a double Whopper with cheese.” Restaurants may have to be more creative to increase sales, and so far the fast food industry has failed to do this. According to Lichten, sales in fast food have increased because people are spending more money when they go out, not because more people are going. “The way to make more money would be to get the health-conscious consumer into the restaurants.”

Fast food restaurants have responded to the demand to create a menu for a healthier dining experience; now nutrition educators face the challenge of trying to get their clients to purchase these healthier foods. Where critics may be skeptical is that the “good choices” haven’t totally displaced the “bad choices.” The truth is that if consumers want a hamburger, they will find one. Taking foods off the menus is not the answer; it is teaching consumers not to order them. Americans have been made aware of what they are eating and the potential consequences of their choices, but unfortunately many are still not listening.

Time is running out. No one knows how much longer the industry is going to be willing to put money into a market that is not profiting. RDs have an obligation to their clients. The burden has now drifted over to us; we have to somehow get the people who dine at these restaurants to purchase the salads and other healthier choices more often. Consumers that lead a fast food lifestyle should take advantage of the healthier offerings, while indulging in the french fries only occasionally. Healthcare providers can teach their clients that they no longer have to avoid fast food restaurants altogether.

Education is the key; consumers not only deserve to know what foods they should be choosing but also why. By doing our part, the fast food industry can continue to do theirs; providing a balanced menu of options that includes salads, fruit, and the occasional Big Mac.

— Stacey Freis, MS, RD, CNSD, CDN, is a nutritionist at the Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian in New York City, consultant, and freelance writer.

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