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Canadian consumers are increasingly turning to salads as a way to eat fresh and healthy foods at a reasonable price. As part of their efforts to make good eating choices while simultaneously tightening their dining-out budgets, Canadian restaurant-goers are finding that salads have a strong value proposition on top of their obvious health benefits.

Restaurant operators are responding by offering salads in greater numbers and with more topping and dressing options. They are also making a concerted effort to ensure that their salads meet the expectations of their guests in terms of affordability, customization, a short prep time, large portion size and the use of unusual ingredients.

However, it bears mentioning that the salad category still represents a major growth opportunity for Technomic’s Top 250 Canadian chains. For instance, the low incidence of salads with salmon and citrus-based salad dressings means that operators can still innovate substantially in this area.

Freshness

• When it comes to salads, freshness is by far the most significant criterion to Canadian consumers, with 89% listing it as “important” or “extremely important.” A healthful positioning and a fair price were the second and third most important factors, respectively. 

Salad type

• Chicken salad, specialty salads and Caesar salads are the top three most represented salad types on Canadian menus, appearing a total of 1,506 times.

Dressings

• Classic salad dressings with mass appeal, such as ranch, Caesar and balsamic vinegar, are the dressings most commonly offered for entrée salads on Canadian menus. Less well-known varieties such as cilantro, sherry and chipotle have a noticeably lower incidence.

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