Surveying American diners, Mintel found that only one in five (20%) rank food health as an important factor when ordering dinner. Far more essential are taste and hunger satisfaction, selected by 77% and 44% of respondents, respectively, when describing what they look for on a dinner menu. In addition, although over three-quarters of adults claim they would like to see more healthy items on the menu, barely half (51%) say they usually order them.
"There's definitely a dichotomy between what people say they want and what they actually do when it comes to healthy restaurant eating," says director of Mintel Menu Insights, Maria Caranfa, registered dietician. "Over eight in 10 adults told us it is very or somewhat important to them to eat healthy, but when it comes to dining out, most people are really looking for taste, texture and experience. So healthy menu items need to perfect the balance between nutrition and flavor."