Examining Marketing Approaches to Increasing Sales of Healthy Kids’ Menu Items in Quick-Service Restaurants

Start Date: November 2009

ID #: 66956

Principal Investigator: Deborah Allen, PhD

Co-Principal Investigator: Donna Johnson, RD, PhD

Organization: Thurston County Public Health and Social Services

Funding Round: Round 4

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Through cooperation between the food service industry and public health, this project aims to improve nutritional quality of kids’ menus in fast food restaurants. This study will examine pooled sales data from 10 Taco Time restaurants showing items sold from the kids’ menu over three exposure periods: a 6-month baseline, a 3-month period following introduction of lower calorie-density side dishes and desserts, and a 3-month period following designation of the new and recommended kids’ menu items on the menu board. Overall, investigators hypothesize that, when exposed to an appropriate marketing mix, families will change from higher to lower caloric-density foods selected from kids’ menus. If so, restaurants will have an economic incentive to offer and promote less fattening foods for children.

Age Groups: Adults and Families, Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)

Keywords: Community setting, Fast food, Menu Labeling, Restaurant

Focus Area: Food Marketing

Resource Type: Grant Summary

Race/Ethnicity: Multi-racial/ethnic

State: Washington

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