business inTel:
Coming to America pg. 12
OPera TiOns:
Outsourced screening pg. 25
FOOd & beVerage:
Peppering in creativity pg. 33
FinanCe:
Unsettling debt pg. 44
www.nrn.com www.nrn.com
FEBRUARY 8, 2010
$10.00
a little healthy competition
Quick-service chains get into wellness game with low-calorie, diet-friendly menu offerings
by mark brandau
Christine Dougherty, spokeswoman for Taco Bell’s Drive-Thru
Diet, is the first person to admit
her weight loss isn’t typical.
But while that’s what she
says in a television commercial
for the 5,600-unit quick-service
chain, that’s not exactly the message Taco Bell wants to impart.
Dougherty, who lost 54 pounds
over the course of two years by
choosing items from the brand’s
Fresco menu, is the latest poster
child for the idea that fast food
can play a role in a more healthful lifestyle — for anyone.
“Christine’s results were part
of a two-year dedication, where
she found a workable solution
for her life,” said Will Bortz, senior manager of public relations
for Taco Bell. “Quick service is a
part of her everyday life, and by
making better choices, she saw
those results. … For somebody to
look at this ad and say that this
isn’t a weight-loss system, that’s
Sandwich chain Subway has extended its tie-in with hit reality show “The Biggest Loser” by sponsoring the weight loss of fan favorite Shay Sorrells, center.
true. It’s about better choices in
the context of QSR.”
Dougherty joins an exclusive
but growing club with Subway
pitchman Jared Fogle, who fa-
mously lost 245 pounds more
than 10 years ago, and their gos-
pel is getting louder as the seg-
ment most aligned with super-
sized meals and deep-fried fare
seeks to recast itself as one es-
pousing fitness and moderation.
The new message comes at a
time when health consciousness
is on the rise among consumers
See HEALTHY, page 50
To deal or not to deal: Chains reconsider discounting
When Brinker International
announced plans to end the
popular “three for $20” dining deal at its flagship Chili’s Grill
by lisa jennings
& Bar last month,
some industry observers wondered
if it was the beginning of the end for
the era of discounting.
After more than a year of trying to get consumers in seats
with deals, coupons, fixed-price
menus and how-low-can-you-go
pricing, many operators are eager to say enough is enough.
Yet, while some operators see
glimmers of light through the
long, dark tunnel of recovery
ahead, others contend that it’s
too soon to expect consumers not
to think with their wallets.
At press time, many of Chili’s
competitors were still offering
deals aimed at catching the eye
of cash-strapped customers.
T.G.I. Friday’s, for example, was
See TO DEAL, page 10
