Light or Regular, Now or Later: The Impact of Advance Ordering and Restrained Eating on Choices and Consumption of Light and Regular Vice Food

Research has shown that an effective way of encouraging consumers to make healthier food choices is to have them choose early (i.e., advance ordering). However, the effectiveness of advance ordering remains unknown when consumers choose between regular and light versions of unhealthy food (e.g., regular and low-fat chips), a common situation in daily consumption. We thus investigated the effect of advance ordering on both food choices and consumption of light and regular vices and compared its impact with that of chronic restrained eating. Two experiments demonstrated that advance ordering did not influence calorie intake or encourage consumers to substitute a regular vice with a light vice. Rather, individual differences in restrained eating consistently predicted both choices and consumed calories. We also discuss the implications of our findings for consumer well-being and advance ordering in the context of lighter-vice options.