Consumer Trends
The rise of plant-based diets: Consumers seeking healthier, cleaner options
Health-conscious consumers are increasingly seeking ways to promote wellness across all aspects of their lives, and unsurprisingly, eating a healthy diet is a cornerstone. Currently, the growing appeal of plant-based foods and diets is likely correlated with the growing number of consumers preferring a healthier diet—and for that reason, it’s crucial that operators develop strategies to leverage each of these trends in conjunction.
Technology
Chipotle adds nutrition filters to its app
The move expands on the success of the fast casual’s diet-specific Lifestyle Bowls, whose sales have grown 484% since being introduced in 2019.
Do customers really eat the low-fat, low-calorie, low-sodium foods they claim they want restaurants to serve? According to the 2010 Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report developed by food industry consulting group Technomic, almost 50% of the 1,500 consumers surveyed claim to want healthier foods, but only 25% actually consider nutrition when dining out.
Americans are finally practicing what they preach—they are starting to eat more healthfully when dining out. A recent study from The NPD Group found that over the past decade, consumers have shifted away from fried foods, hot dogs and soft drinks and moved toward grilled foods and better-for-you breakfasts.