Abstract

Food service provision imposes significant environmental and societal impacts. The contemporary customer is getting increasingly conscious about these impacts, which is often reflected in restaurant food choice. The catering industry should foresee this trend in consumer choice and architect it so that it becomes more responsible. This study employs a qualitative method for primary data collection and analysis to explore how various environmental (provenance and carbon footprint) and health (nutritional and calorific) characteristics of food displayed on restaurant menus affect customer choice in the UK. It finds that while presenting the carbon footprint information is generally viewed positively by consumers, managerial and policy reinforcement is necessary for it to become a determinant of consumer choice. Displaying food provenance, nutritional and calorific values is considered paramount and these food attributes should become conventional menu items.