Report: Soups and salads appearing more on menus

Away-from-home soup and salad purchases are on the rise, as consumers seek light, healthy and affordable fare, according to new research from Technomic.

Whether it's a cup or bowl, side or entree, 61 percent of consumers now order soup at least occasionally during restaurant visits, up from 52 percent just two years ago. Salads have grown even more, as nearly half of consumers now order salad all or most of the time, compared to 34 percent two years ago.

"Healthy options and portion variety are driving factors in today's soup and salad menu positioning," said Sara Monnette, Technomic director of Consumer Research. "Operators are revamping their menus in response to consumer demand for soup and salad as a standalone entree, side substitution, an appetizer, or a component of a combo meal. There are many menu variations in which soups/salads are now offered."

To help operators and others aligned with the foodservice industry more effectively identify opportunities for growth and gain a competitive advantage, Technomic has developed the "Left Side of the Menu: Soup and Salad Consumer Trend Report."

Some findings include:

?Soup and salad are the two most common appetizers at both limited-service restaurants (LSRs) and full-service restaurants (FSRs). Appetizer salads remained fairly steady in both sectors since 2009, while soup grew 22 percent to surpass salad as the leading appetizer at LSRs;
?On menus, salads are the fourth most frequently appearing entrée among all entrees at LSRs and rank second at FSRs. Chicken-topped salads are by far the leading entree variety offered at both LSRs and FSRs, followed by Caesar;
?Based on information from more than 500 leading and emerging chains, chili has surpassed soup-of-the-day offerings to become the leading soup variety at LSRs, and ranked second at FSRs;
?Interest in healthier, lighter fare is driving increases for both soup and salad. Seventy-six percent of consumers who are purchasing salads more often say they're seeking a healthier option and 49 percent want something lighter; and
?A strong majority (64 percent) of consumers believe that dressings are a key component, if not the key component of a tasty salad. The overall variety of options and flavors offered trumps healthfulness and brand names as purchase drivers.

Technomic's Left Side of the Menu: Soup & Salad Consumer Trend Report examines soup and salad consumption, purchasing behavior, attitudes and preferences of more than 1,500 consumers. The Menu Insights section utilizes Technomic's MenuMonitor online database.