Restaurateurs’ Perspectives on Offering Healthier Menu Items

1. Gabrielle Gambino Cornell Dietetic Internship December 14, 2012 Restaurateurs’ Perspectives on Offering Healthier Menu Items

2. The Problem • Since 1970, the number of U.S. adults who are overweight or obese has increased 34%.1 • Out-of-home food expenditures have risen 21%.2 • Much of the food offered at restaurants is energy-dense and missing nutrients.3 1. USDA. Diet Quality & Nutrition. 30 July 2012. 2. USDA. Dietary Assessment of Major Trends in U.S. Food Consumption, 1970-2005. Economic Research Service, Mar. 2008. 3. Bowman SA, et al. J Am CollNutr2004.

3. Research Questions

4. Theoretical Framework Attitudes/Beliefs Perceived Subjective Norms/Values Behavioral Intention Behavior Perceived Control Glanz, K. U.S. Dept. HHS, Public Health Service, NIH, National Cancer Institute, 2005.

5. Methods • Sample (n=9) • Local restaurant owners &chefs in a rural upstate New York county • 6 female, 3 male • 24-50 years of age • Cuisines: Italian (2), American-style (2), Local Cafés (1), Fine Dining (1), Bakery (1) • Free-Lance Chef (1) • In-depth Interviews • Personal values and priorities • Attitudes towards offering healthier items • Perceived norms of consumers and competitors • Perceived control over menu changes • Behavioral intentions to offer healthier items

6. How Restaurant Owners Define “Healthy Eating”

7. Discordance between Restaurateurs’ Values and Menu Composition “It is a burger and fries place and that’s what’s been working for us, as far as getting customers in the door. Our customers want what they want. We have no reason to mess with that.” • “At the end of the day, it’s still a business.”

8. Perceived Factors Influencing Customer Menu Selection Value-Portion Size “In America, you want to be at all-you-can-eat buffets, 99-cent burgers. Really not the healthiest options..” Mood/Preference “I think people…come in with their minds already made up. It’s hard to sort of change those habits.” Special Occasion Attitude “You’re going out to have something you normally don’t have at home.” Restricted Diets “We’ve seen an increase in people looking for gluten-free items, a small increase in people looking for more vegetarian items.”

9. Menu Changes: Participants’ Main Concerns Personal Attitudes/Beliefs Perceived Control Subjective Norms “When people put in a request [for a menu change], even if it’s just one person, we try to change and adapt.” “I think people are geared towards whether it tastes good, looks good, better be hot, and the price better be right. I think all of those things kind of trump the healthy thing.”

10. Adding Healthier Menu Items

11. What ideas can restaurateurs offer in the effort to improve the dining habits ofcustomers?

12. Requests are the fundamental sign for demand. • Restaurant Owners value SALES over all. Conclusions Restaurateurs can name more benefits of, as opposed to barriers to, offering healthier items. BUT… • Perceived subjective norms out-weigh all other factors leading to behavioral intention. • No noticeable demand for healthier menu options Knowledge Gap?

13. Implications • Research • Work to define specific criteria for “healthier options” • Identify most cost-effective way to modify menus • Practice • Train restaurateurs to: • Consider nutritional content of menu items • Assess demand for healthier choices • Present healthier options to customers • Educate consumers to: • Utilize point-of-purchase tools • Advocate for healthier items to be offered • Policy • Support or create national dining programs

14. Thank you!