Burger King is advertising fresh vegetables and introducing oatmeal, McDonald’s is touting “real fruit” smoothies and Wendy’s is promoting “natural” lemonade and summer salads.
Times are changing at fast-food restaurants — sort of.
Spurred in part by the success of restaurants like Subway and Chipotle, who have found a winning formula in offering fresh, made-to-order items, fast-food chains better known for their greasy fries and gut-busting burgers are increasingly paying attention to avocado slices and apple wedges.
The shift toward fresher food comes as the giant chains gird for expected fierce competition in the years to come. The U.S. foodservice market is likely to grow less than 1 percent a year over the next decade, according to research firm NPD Group.