Bob Evans tests 'Fit for You' menu to see how low-carb, low-fat fare fits in with chain's goals

Nation's Restaurant News, April 12, 2004 by Carolyn Walkup

COLUMBUS, OHIO -- As a number of chains continue to jump on the healthful-food bandwagon, family chain operator Bob Evans Restaurants is testing a low-carbohydrate, low-fat supplemental menu and is expected to decide whether to roll it out systemwide within the next six weeks.

The chain's "Fit for You" supplemental menu, now in two test markets, Columbus and Pittsburgh, provides each table with additional information on several existing menu items that emphasizes their low-carbohydrate or low-fat content, said Scott Colwell, vice president of marketing for the 505-unit chain. "It's an opportunity for us to communicate the broad variety we have," he said.

The menu, which Colwell described as a repackaging of some existing menu items, states either the number of grams of fat or carbohydrates in designated items. It also lists some general tips for cutting fat or carbs from items served at Bob Evans or elsewhere.

Examples of low-carbohydrate dinner entrees are grilled chicken, which features two boneless chicken breasts, 0 grams of carbohydrates, or with garlic herb butter, 2 grams; grilled New Orleans-style catfish, two fillets with Cajun spices, 8 grams; and two bone-in marinated pork chops, 4 grams, or with garlic herb butter, 6 grams.

Customers also can select two low-carb sides, such as garden salad without croutons, 5 grams, or green beans with ham, 8 grams. Two entree salads, weighing in with a carbohydrate count of 13 or 14 grams, are being offered as low-carb lunch items.

Lighter-fare dinners, which measure fat grams, include turkey breast, grilled chicken breasts, salmon fillet, vegetable stir-fry and spaghetti with marinara sauce. Fat grams range from 7 to 20, without the righter-fare sides, which range from 4 to 9 fat grams,

Bob Evans already has rolled out two low-carbohydrate breakfast entrees systemwide, called "Protein Lover's Breakfast" and "Protein Lover's Plus." Those items contain three eggs and one or two sides of breakfast meat. Ham-and-cheese or sausage-and-cheese omelets also are included in the low-carb breakfast category with a count of 3 or 4 carbohydrates, when served without the usual home fries and toast.

A disclaimer printed on the menu, however, reads, "Due to portion size, product preparation and substitution of ingredients, actual fat and carbohydrate values may vary."

In addition to the in-store popularity of the "Fit for You," menu, many customers are asking to take it home as a general reference for determining the fat and carbohydrate counts of a variety of foods. "Our regular menu is extensive, so [Fit for You] works better as a separate menu we can hand out," Colwell said. In addition, the menu fists such carb-cutting advice as omitting bread and substituting grilled chicken or fish for fried. It also recommends such-side dish options as broccoli, green beans or a garden salad without croutons in place of potatoes or rice.

Some of the menu's fat-cutting tips include holding the margarine on bread and potatoes, and, for an additional 40 cents, substituting a fresh-fruit dish for home fries. It also advises the selection of grilled chicken, turkey or fish and "rite" salad dressings.

Bob Evans is the latest restaurant chain to promote low-carb offerings. During Lent segment competitor Big Boy offered three new limited-time broiled seafood entrees, which do not contain carbohydrates when they are served plain. The chain promoted the items as low-carb dishes. And several other chains serving breakfast are pointing out the low carb content of their egg and breakfast meat entrees.

Bob Evans on its Web site began listing nutritional information about its menu items March 1.

Casual-dinnerhouse chain Ruby Tuesday reported that it would unveil on April 27 its new nutritionally labeled menu at all of its 608 stores. The menu will include more than 40 low-carb choices and 38 low-calorie, low-fat dishes.

Ruby Tuesday is believed to be the first national restaurant chain to include nutritional measurements for all items on its printed menu. Its nutritional analysis lists calories, fat grams, net carbohydrate grams and fiber grams.

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration task force recently recommended that restaurants voluntarily increase menu nutritional data at the point of sale to help combat the nation's current so-called obesity epidemic.