A new marketing-research survey claims Americans are not willing to pay more for healthier dishes when they dine out.
The study, conducted by Port Washington, N.Y.-based firm NPD Group, found that 70 percent of consumers said they don't expect to pay a premium for healthier items when they go to restaurants, reports Nation's Restaurants News, an industry newsletter.
Interestingly enough, those over 50 were least likely to pay more for healthier dishes (25 percent said they would be willing to pay somewhat more, and only 5 percent said they were willing to pay a lot more), while those 18 to 24 showed the greatest inclination to pay a premium for healthy menu items (15 percent said they were willing to pay a lot more).
"One of the key takeaways is that pricing of the healthy options needs to be consistent with pricing of other choices on the menu," said Bonnie Riggs, NPD restaurant industry analyst and author of the report. "The market for health today is growing and there is a good opportunity for operators who find a way to offer healthier options at lower price points."
More customers of full-service restaurants said they expected to pay the same price for healthful items as they did for standard menu options, while fewer quick-service patrons said they expected to pay the same.
Do you expect to pay more for healthier dishes when dining out? Where in New York City do you enjoy eating healthy meals?
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