During the past decade there has been a rise in the consumer awareness and consciousness of diet and the need for healthier lifestyles. Caloric and fat intake has become a deciding factor in food choices, and due to the stigma of healthiness surrounding fast food consumption the potential to negatively affect Burger Planet and its franchises is great.
Since its foundation in 1934, Burger Planet has served upwards of 52 billion customers throughout the world. Over the years, the Quick Service Restaurant Industry has become a staple in American society however, growing consumer awareness and a series of recent legislation threatens its place in society. Within the past three years some of the United States' most prominent cities such as New York and Los Angeles have passed strict laws regarding the issues of health in the Quick Service Restaurant industry with similar legislation in the process in several other states.
It is suggested that an implementation of a healthy alternative to Burger Planet's menu and image evaluation would be beneficial to the company as well as the consumer. The addition of Jayne Peterson and a newly added menu is a great start to the change. Having her as a spokesperson will be beneficial because of her notoriety and good reputation among nutritionists and consumers alike. Additionally, the newly added menu options add to the positive change. The new menu, which includes gourmet salads, fresh fruit and low-fat options, will draw in a new market of health conscious consumers, namely middle-aged women who often make the decisions about what their family eats and who previously did not consume fast food as frequently.
It would also be beneficial to highlight Burger Planet's belief in healthy lifestyles for its customers. As Peterson said in a recent interview, "The Company believes in encouraging customers to live healthier, active lifestyles." Through this movement toward a health-conscious menu our customers will be able to understand our commitment to great food and healthy lifestyles.
A fundamental problem often associated with the Quick Service Restaurant Industry is the caloric value of their meals. Soda, for example, is offered with most value meals. Although soda is not specifically addressed as a problem with Burger Planet, it makes up a large part of the caloric intake in meals at major Quick Service Restaurant.
Caroline Shugart, Utah State University Employee Wellness Coordinator, said, if people were to omit one soda a day from their normal diet, over the course of one year, 91,250 calories and 50 pounds of sugar would no longer be taken into the body.
“Soda has 15 teaspoons of sugar and 250 calories in a 20 ounce bottle,” Shugart said. “That is 26 pounds of fat that could be lost in a year.”
“Many people follow a 2,000 calorie a day diet but the truth is the number of calories you need to maintain your body weight is going to vary depending on your activity level and current weight,” Dietician Sherri Roderick said.
According to FatCalories.com, a Web site providing nutritional facts for major fast food restaurants, large fries from McDonalds contain 570 calories, a medium 380, and small 250. Depending on what hamburger is purchased in a meal deal, the calories range from 250 calories for a small hamburger, to 740 calories for a double quarter pound hamburger with cheese. So, if a person ordered small fries, a hamburger and 20 oz. soda, they would consume more than 750 calories in the smallest meal. Portion sizes are larger than they need to be as well. If a person ordered a quarter pound hamburger with a large soda and fries, the person would consume 1560 calories for one meal. This leaves only 440 calories to consume for the rest of the day. However, if the hamburger was replaced by a chicken sandwich the calories from chicken sandwich would range from 400 calories to 670 calories. If people eat out two times a day and 2,000 calories is all the body needs to function in a healthy manner it is easy to see how many fast food organizations need to change their meals to make them healthier.
However, despite new options, Burger Planet will continue to offer their original menu, which has provided Burger Planet with growing success. As part of our initiative we will also make strides to ensure that customers know Burger Planet is simply improving its menu and not changing it, or alienating our base customers who are crucial to our success.
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