Culinology - September 2012 - (Page 45)

PETITS FOURS Familiarity wins out over healthfulness in casual dining Casual diners are more likely to order foods they are comfortable with even when faced with choices they perceive to be healthier, according to a recent survey by Chicago-based Culinary Visions Panel. More than 200 consumers were asked to rate the healthfulness of four invisibly healthy entrée menu concepts, and then rate the likeliness they would order each concept. Both men and women considered all menu concepts to be healthy, yet the overwhelming choice by both sexes was the dish with familiar meat and vegetables: steak with salsa verde and roasted squash. “When they are dining out in casual restaurants, American adults like steak,” said Sharon Olson, executive director of the Culinary Visions Panel. “We saw the likelihood of ordering the steak entrée significantly higher than the other menu concepts, and women were more likely to order it than the men.” Comfort level with protein dictates menu choices Of the more than 200 men and women surveyed by Chicago-based Culinary Visions Panel, almost half said they would order the more familiar steak entrée in a restaurant. The more exotic ingredients and cooking techniques earned less confidence from consumers. 49% Steak with salsa verde and roasted squash 20% Braised baby lamb shank with olives, figs and fennel 19% Seafood and bean stew 16% Rabbit ragu with polenta and rapini QUICK-SERVE RESTAURANTS DUKE IT OUT IN SOCIAL MEDIA Social media may be a key indicator of overall success in today’s smartphone-enabled world. In its latest Fast Food Report, Chicago-based Unmetric detailed the social media efforts of the Top 16 fast food chains in the US. Based on a scientific blend of 24 qualitative and quantitative social media metrics, the data were weighted and balanced to produce a single benchmarkable number. Fastest growth on Facebook (%) Burger King Sonic McDonald’s Pizza Hut Subway Reply time on Twitter (minutes) McDonald’s Chipotle Chick-fil-A Taco Bell Krispy Kreme Most female Facebook fans (%) Baskin-Robbins Dairy Queen Sonic Dunkin’ Donuts Chick-fil-A Most male Facebook fans (%) Carl’s Jr Krispy Kreme In-N-Out Burger Burger King KFC 105 60 57 48 40 29 37 42 46 99 80 72 70 67 66 53 51 46 45 44 SEPTEMBER 2012 | Culinology | 45

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Culinology - September 2012

Culinology - September 2012
Table of Contents
President's Letter - What's next?
Upcoming Events
Emerging Trends - Millennials’ shopping attitudes ‘volatile’
Study examines how fat affects flavor perception
Consumers choosing healthy foods for wellness
Member Profile - Spice Guy
Sodium Reduction - Behind the Magic
Certification - Tyson Raises the 'food bar'
Cuisine Trends - Back to the future
Petits Fours
Ad Index

Culinology - September 2012