A London-based market research company has outlined four trends that it believes will shape the way foodservice operators develop menu options during 2012. The four trends are identified by Mintel Group are: Slow it down: Fast food restaurants are returning to more time-intensive preparation methods for their menu items. As such, items described as “hand-made” or “home-style” are popping up on restaurant menus. Consumers are prepared to seek more from their dining experience... ...Read more »

Subway has announced that, from today, its Australian stores will display the kilojoule content of food products on their menu boards. Subway is the latest of several major quick service food chains in Australia to make this move. Other include Hungry Jacks, Domino’s, and McDonald’s. From today, Subway restaurants in Australia will also display nutritional content information on napkins, counter displays and store brochures. In a statement released today, a spokesperson for Subway said the labelling... ...Read more »

McDonald’s Australia has boasted its healthier food credentials by announcing that from tomorrow its customers will be asked if they would like salad as an alternative to fries. McDonald’s announcement coincides with the start of kilojoule labelling on McDonald’s menu boards at point of sale. McDonald’s Australia CEO Catriona Noble said that by making the option of salad part of every ‘Extra Value Meal’, McDonald’s is making it “easier for customers to enjoy a serve of fresh vegetables”. Ms... ...Read more »

The Victorian Government may not continue with the previous administration’s decision to force restaurants with more than fifty Victorian outlets, or 200 nationally, to print nutritional information on menus. The legislation was announced by the Brumby Government, but was not passed before the election. A spokeswoman for the new Health Minister David Davis told The Age it was still “under consideration”. Public health lobby group, the Obesity Policy Coalition (which represents the... ...Read more »

Dieters are so involved with trying to eat virtuously that they are more likely than non-dieters to choose unhealthy foods that are labeled as healthy, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. It seems dieter focus on food names can work to their disadvantage. “Keeping your weight-loss goal in mind as you scan the lunch menu at a café, you are careful to avoid pasta selections and instead order from the list of salad options,” write authors Caglar Irmak (University... ...Read more »

The Federal Court has ordered two restaurants to pay a penalty of $13,200 each for misleading customers as to the price of meals in their menus on Sundays and public holidays. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took action against two New South Wales restaurants – Helmos Enterprises (NSW) Pty Ltd, trading as Georges Bar and Grill, and Gourmet Goody’s Family Restaurant Pty Ltd, trading as Steersons Steakhouse. The ACCC alleged that the menus failed to tell customers... ...Read more »

Victorian fast-food and chain food businesses will be required to put nutritional information on their menus by 2012. Premier John Brumby today announced that all food businesses with 50 or more Victorian outlets, or more than 200 outlets nationwide, would be required to display kilojoule counts next to all food and drink items on menus, as well as including a daily intake statement on all printed menus and menu boards. “This new kilojoule or calorie count will give all Victorians the latest information... ...Read more »

The NSW Government has announced its support for a national requirement for fast-food chains to publish detailed nutritional information on their products as part of their menus. Under the proposed plan, menus would include calorie/kj information, saturated fat, trans-fat and salt content of the items on offer. Currently, most fast-food outlets publish their nutritional information online (often in an inaccessible PDF format) or in dedicated leaflets. NSW Premier Kristina Keneally said: “This is... ...Read more »

As part of the health care legislation passed by the US House of Representatives on Sunday, chain restaurants with 20 or more locations will be required to provide nutritional information to diners at the point of purchase. The information will mirror the kind available on packaged foods.  Caloric information would be highlighted on menus, menu boards and drive-through boards. The provision has been praised by America’s National Restaurant Association. “The passage of this provision is a... ...Read more »

Menus with calorie information are one step closer to becoming a reality following successful and productive work this summer with twenty-one major fast-food and catering companies, the UK’s leading food authority has said. As part of its work to help people make healthier choices when eating out, the Food Standards Agency is seeking views on how a voluntary calorie labelling scheme will work best in practice. Catering businesses, including many major high street names such as KFC and Burger... ...Read more »