Half the menu boards included meal photos with (1) menu items to be arranged as a combo by choice (ie, create-your-own combo) (2) traditional combos that included high-calorie default items or (3) optimal combos that included low-calorie default items. Intervention: Participants saw 1 of 6 menu boards in a fast-food drive-through simulation. Participants/setting: In all, 636 US adults recruited through an online crowdsourcing platform in July 2020. Design: Between-subjects randomized scenario-based experiment. Objective: Evaluate optimal defaults and visual cues’ effect on anticipated pleasure and order intention depending upon consumers’ health concern level. However, little is known regarding their effects on emotions and behavioral intentions, particularly among people with different levels of health concern. Background: The use of low-calorie menu items as optimal defaults and visual cues may nudge consumers to healthier choices at restaurants.
