What Is “Permissible Indulgence”? 

The term “permissible indulgence” refers to indulgence without guilt or an ingredient/nutritional callout that makes an item feel both indulgent and healthy. Menu items that have both callouts attract customers looking for an easy entry point to healthy eating and mindful customers looking for something rich and comforting. For instance, Dunkin’ recently debuted their Matcha Topped Donut. Matcha is a functional ingredient that offers callouts of natural energy, and it is rich in antioxidants and amino acids. This donut boasts those key functional callouts while still being a delicious treat. 

Permissibly indulgent menu items like this one can satisfy the 65% of consumers who seek functional benefits from their food and drink.2 And functional benefits can go beyond the traditional bounds—if a food makes someone feel good, it can be considered functional. 

Cauliflower Is the Perfect Vehicle for Permissible Indulgence 

When considering permissible indulgence on the menu, some operators are offering healthier options that customers can swap in lieu of the item’s rich counterpart. For example, operators like Qdoba, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse and Chipotle have all recently launched cauliflower products as a substitute for rice. A consumer can still build an indulgent meal around cauliflower, but the vegetable makes it feel healthier.    

Noodles & Company has remained a top innovator for permissible indulgence on the menu since their national launch of zucchini noodles, or Zoodles, in May 2018. They have since added a cauliflower rigatoni to the menu and most recently added cauliflower gnocchi to their low-carb lineup earlier this year. The Noodle’s menu offers healthier options specifically built around the permissibly indulgent swaps, but patrons can also substitute these offerings into any dish, meaning you can feel a little less guilty having a rich bowl of their mac and cheese. Introducing these options has helped turn around the company’s previously negative fiscal performance. In 2021, they are targeting at least 10-15 new store openings with a jump to at least 7% annual unit growth beginning in 2022.3 

Consumers Seek Balance Moving Forward 

Permissible indulgence is here to stay: 77% of consumers want to do more to stay healthy in the future, including indulging in foods that are comforting.4 People want their food to do more than just fill empty stomachs but still feel like they aren’t giving something up in return. With operators kicking up innovation again, it’s only a matter of time before we see more menu items that are permissibly indulgent. 

If you’re interested in exploring permissible indulgence or other trends on your menu, CSSI can help! Read about our innovation process here. 

1. Tastewise 2021 Trends 

2. Food Dive, “Functional foods attract health-conscious consumers,” March 2019. 

3. QSR, “Menu Innovation Hasn’t Missed a Beat at Noodles & Company,” February 2021. 

4. Food Dive, “Consumer trends shifting toward health and wellness, ADM finds,” September 2020.