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JD Wetherspoon has taken the decision to put
calorie counts on its
menus in a bid to help
customers maintain a balanced diet.
But is the pub operator ahead of the curve in this aspect or is a calorie counting pub going contingent a flash in the pan?
Well they say that knowledge is power and by putting the information on menus it allows customers to make up their own minds about the options which they decide to go for. The action taken by the person reading the menu could be pretty varying as some will undoubtedly ignore the figures, while others may reassess their choices. Part of this is bound to be to do with the type of meal that the customer has come out to enjoy.
If it is a celebratory affair they may decide not to read the information or continue to have a high calorie meal as it is a one-off. On the other hand a diner who is having a quick bite at lunch time as a break from the office or knows that they have already consumed more than average calories that day may pick another option.
The fact of the matter is that if the figures are presented to the customer, the implication is that it is then up to them to make the decision. It is unlikely that the diner will vacate the restaurant and eat somewhere else, but perhaps choose something else on the menu.
What this does do however is create the need for healthy options to be available, so that after reading the calorie count a customer has a viable option should they wish to choose it.
This is perhaps something which should already be the case, but by offering calorie counts on menus, a greater emphasis is given to this need.
Wetherspoon's pubs may be among the first to take the step, but it is likely that others will follow and with that a new consideration will be born. If a pub does not list the calorific value of its dishes on its menus when this has become the norm, then customers may become suspicious as to the reasons why this has not been included.
