Market research firm Mintel has found that 8 in 10 Americans take the healthfulness of restaurant foods into consideration, but they make choices on taste, texture and experience" according to an article in Advertising Age . And don't forget price: consumers feel that choosing a "healthy" diet is an invitation to spend more for restaurant meals; "As cash-strapped consumers tighten their belts, they're choosing cheap and tasty comfort food."
Mintel found that only one in five consumers rank a food's health attributes as an important factor when choosing dinner. But 77% of them thought about "taste," and 44% considered "hunger satisfaction." And a particular problem for restaurants: While roughly 75% of those surveyed said they would like to see more healthy options, only 51% order from those selections.