News
Taco Bell drive-thru survey finds Americans open to healthier options
January 19, 2010
In a recently released survey commissioned by Taco Bell, 69 percent of Americans said they think having better choices in the drive-thru at quick-service restaurants would encourage them to eat better, according to a news release.
The "America's Drive-Thru Survey" examined consumers' drive-thru attitudes, behaviors and beliefs. The study found that while consumers are open to try healtheir menu choices, they don't necessarily follow through on their resolve to eat better. The study's findings include:
- Nearly 9 in 10 Americans (89 percent) would like to try better choices of their favorite menu items if they were offered
- Half of Americans (50 percent) believe they can stick to a low-calorie diet while ordering through the drive-thru at QSRs
The study also looked at Americans use of the drive-thru and found that half of Americans visit drive-thrus about twice a month, while three in 10 (29 percent) visit three to five times a month, 16 percent visit six or more times a month, and 8 percent visit more than 11 times a month.
Consumers also have varying reasons for using the drive-thru, all centered around convenience. Survey respondents said they use a drive-thru when they are in a rush (72 percent) or don't want to get out of their car, for reasons which include:
- Bad weather, 49 percent
- Hard-to-find parking, 47 percent
- Having children in the car, 30 percent
- Drive-thru open but restaurant lobby is not, 28 percent
The America's Drive-Thru Survey also revealed that lunch (52 percent) followed by dinner (37 percent), breakfast (19 percent), and a snack or beverage (14 percent) are the most common occasions for Americans to visit QSR drive-thrus.
Taco Bell campaign
Taco Bell, which does approximately 70 percent of its business via the drive-thru, is promoting its better-for-you line of Fresco menu items with its new Drive-Thru Diet campaign. The Fresco menu features seven menu offerings with less than nine grams of fat each. The menu items replace shredded cheese and sauce with freshly prepared Fiesta Salsa, a mix of diced tomatoes, white onions and cilantro.
"Taco Bell is committed to offering a great-tasting menu that gives consumers the variety and choices they demand," said David Ovens, chief marketing officer, Taco Bell Corp. "Using quality ingredients like our freshly prepared Fiesta Salsa, the Drive-Thru Diet Menu is true to our Mexican-inspired heritage by offering real variety in form, flavors, taste, texture and the aroma our customers love, while being lower in fat."
The campaign features spokesperson Christine Dougherty of Pensacola, Fla., who shares how she lost 54 pounds by reducing her daily calories, including eating from the Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet Menu.
"For me, I didn't want to cut out my fast food so I started choosing Fresco items from the Taco Bell drive-thru and making other sensible choices throughout my day," Dougherty said. "Admittedly, I'm not someone who likes to cook and needed to find easy and inexpensive ways to make better choices that helped me reduce overall calories and fat in my eating plan."
Although the campaign includes a partnership with registered dietitian Ruth Carey, who is a nutritionist for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, a number of nutritionist have criticized the campaign because they don't recommend a fast-food heavy diet as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Shereen Jegtvig, a contributer for the About.com Nutrition Blog, said it's unhealthy to eat the items featured in the Drive-Thru Diet every day because they are high in sodium and the company's nutritional guideline doesn't mention other important factors, such as calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C content.
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