The Effects Of Menu Calorie Labeling On Consumer Food Choice Behavior

Abstract

Recent federal legislation mandating chain restaurants to disclose the number of calories in menu items was introduced in the hopes of influencing consumers to make more healthful food choices when eating out. However, many studies on the impact of including calorie labeling on restaurant menus and menu boards have relied on questionable methodologies, yielding inconsistent results and leaving unanswered the question of whether calorie information on menus indeed impacts food selection. In an effort to provide more definitive data, the present study employed a controlled posttest-only experimental design with random assignment. Students assigned to the control group ordered a meal from a typical fast-food menu board that did not display any calorie information, while students assigned to the experimental treatment group ordered from an identical menu board, with the exception that calorie information was displayed for each item. The results demonstrated that the display of calorie information did not cause members of the experimental treatment group to order items bearing significantly fewer calories than those ordered by the control group. Thus, contrary to the results of many previous studies, the present study strongly indicated that the presence of calorie labeling does not have a significant impact on consumer choices in fast-food restaurants. While studies have shown that consumers are strongly in favor of the inclusion of calorie information on menus, this study provides evidence that some further or alternative intervention is needed before such calorie information can translate into healthier food choice behavior.