Do People Really Want Healthy Food?

A recent article on AdAge.com discussed the remarkable gap between consumers who want to see more healthy items on the menu, and what they actually order. The article shows a 24% disparity between those clamoring for healthier choices and those ultimately taking restaurants up on the healthy choices they “wanted.” It would appear that taste and value tend to be weighed more heavily by consumers when it’s actually time to fork over their hard earned cash. Much like saying you love foreign cinema and then rushing out to see Transformers 2, there’s a bit of a disconnect between what you know is good for you and what you actually want.

Who out there hasn’t settled on a salad before calling a last minute audible and ordering a burger instead? Methinks it’s a lot more fun to convince yourself you’re going to start eating healthy than to actually opt for grilled chicken over fried. But, I’m curious if anyone else has done the same thing. Do you fall into the good intentions category, or do you actually order healthy fast-food?