Not too long ago, I stopped into one of the local Quiznos with\u00a0the Girl Child\u00a0after I picked her up from school – she’d missed lunch, and wanted to\u00a0get a sandwich to take home. She ordered her favorite: a half “Oven Roasted Turkey.” The\u00a0gal behind the counter\u00a0then\u00a0asked if she wanted it with chips and a drink as part of a combo meal. She looked pretty surprised when Nick turned the offer down. But this is par for the course when we hit a fast food restaurant… we order\u00a0only what we want, with no add-ons, regardless if there’s a savings involved. Most of the time, it’s junk, anyway.<\/p>\n
And according to\u00a0a\u00a0study from Duke University, that’s the right way to\u00a0think about it.<\/p>\n
These meals add more than just fries and a soft drink to cost-conscious consumers’ meals; they also provide more calories than diners might expect.<\/span><\/p>\n
Sharpe’s and Staelin’s findings, published in the fall issue of the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, indicate consumers respond positively to the perceived cost-savings and the simplified ordering process of a value meal versus \u00e1 la carte options. These findings occur even when there is no cost savings associated with choosing the combo meal.<\/span><\/p>\n
“The perceived value of a bundled meal encourages consumers to super-size their orders,” Staelin said. “Our study found 26 percent of participants increased the size of the meal bundle when given the combo meal option, consuming more than 100 additional calories per meal compared to a la carte menu items at the same prices.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Why eat extra (unhealthy!)\u00a0food just because it\u00a0seems\u00a0like\u00a0a bargain?\u00a0Even if you save money, you could end up paying a higher price in the long run. Value meals are no value, when it comes to your waistline or health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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