NPD Reports Consumers Turning to Fast Food for Salads

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, July 29, 2003 – Fast food restaurants are finding their place among salad munchers. The NPD Group finds orders for main dish salads at fast food restaurants grew 12 percent from June 2002 to May 2003 compared to the same time a year earlier. That increase comes even though entrée salads at all restaurants increased by only two percent during the same time period.

The numbers reflect a shift in where and how Americans are getting their salads, rather than an overall increase in salad eating, according to Harry Balzer, author of Eating Patterns in America (EPA). EPA is the only book of its kind that examines shifts in what Americans are eating, where, when and how much. When you include side salads, the total number of salad orders at restaurants is down. "We’re not eating a lot more salads, but we are getting them at new places—fast-food restaurants," he explains. In fact, salad consumption at home is down too.

Four percent of all restaurant orders included salad as a main dish in 2002, compared to seven percent in 1989, according to the 17^th Annual EPA. "Interestingly, a lot of fast-food restaurants had salad bars in the 1980s, and then took them out in the 1990s," said Balzer, vice president of the NPD Group.

This is happening as fast food restaurants are offering more salads on their menus. "We’ve got a long way to go to get back to the ‘salad days’ of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, but the availability of entrée salads at fast food restaurants is sparking renewed interest in salads," added Balzer.

Eating Patterns in America -the Bible of the Food Industry
Eating Patterns in America is the only study of its kind. It examines what consumers are eating, where they buy their food and beverages, who prepares meals, what appliances are used, the most popular foods at each meal, what’s hot in the restaurant industry, as well as trends in diet, nutrition and concerns about health and food safety. It also looks at consumers’ attitudes and behaviors about food in home and away from home.

EPA tracks the daily consumption habits of thousands of Americans. The book compiles data collected from 35 NPD databases involving consumers, manufacturers, retailers and restaurant operators. With its large sample base and broad scope, the report is a primary resource for major food and beverage suppliers, restaurant operators, appliance manufacturers and food retailers when making strategic decisions about new products, services and formats.

The 18^th Annual Eating Patterns in America--the industry’s most comprehensive look at the food and beverage choices Americans makes everyday--will be available in October from NPD Foodworld^®, a division of The NPD Group.

Harry Balzer
Harry Balzer, vice president of The NPD Group, has studied Americans eating habits for 25 years. Balzer is recognized as one of the most influential forces in they way Americans eat, cook and think about food.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
Since 1967 The NPD Group has provided reliable and comprehensive sales and marketing information for a wide range of industries. NPD provides critical knowledge on what is selling, where, to whom and why to help our clients make more successful, fact-based business decisions. Today more than 1,300 manufacturers and retailers rely on NPD to help them better understand their customers, product categories, distribution channels and competition in order to help guide their business and positively impact sales and revenues. Information from The NPD Group is available for the following major vertical sectors: apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, cellular, consumer electronics, food and beverage, foodservice, footwear, home improvement, housewares, imaging, information technology, music, software, travel, toys and video games. For more information visit www.npd.com.

NPD Foodworld^®
NPD Foodworld^®, a division of The NPD Group, provides sales and marketing information for manufacturers, operators and retailers in the food, beverage and foodservice industries. Only NPD Foodworld provides a complete picture of what Americans are really eating - both at home and in restaurants. A variety of easy-to-use tools from Web-based to desktop make information accessible and actionable to a wide range of users from executives to sales and marketing to research. Today a host of market-leading companies in the industry rely on NPD Foodworld for the knowledge they need to drive better, more fact-based decision making.

For more information:

Cristina Hilsenrath		Sean Dolan
cristina_hilsenrath@npd.com		sean_dolan@npd.com
516-625-2443		516-625-2288