Do healthy side dishes at set-meals at restaurants encourage consumption of domestically produced foods? Research through a choice experiment

Purpose This study aims to examine Japanese consumers' preferences regarding the interaction between health-oriented side dishes and domestic ingredients in dining-out contexts. It seeks to evaluate whether combining these attributes generates a positive spillover effect, as suggested in previous studies. Design/methodology/approach A choice experiment (CE) was conducted using a dining-out scenario that incorporated health-oriented side dishes and origin labeling. To capture consumer heterogeneity, the Latent Class Logit (LCL) model was employed to segment preference patterns among different consumer groups. Willingness to pay was also utilized to measure consumers' economic valuation of product characteristics. Findings The results confirmed that both health-oriented side dishes and domestic ingredients were positively evaluated, aligning with prior research. However, in the domestic-oriented consumer group, the interaction effect between the two attributes was negative. This suggests that combining health-oriented and domestic features may not always yield additive benefits, potentially due to information overload or incompatible combinations. Research limitations/implications This study has several limitations. The reliance on self-reported, web-based survey data introduces potential social desirability and self-selection biases. The sample includes only Japanese consumers, limiting generalizability and overlooking regional or sociocultural differences within Japan. The attribute set was restricted to domestic origin and health-oriented sides, excluding factors like sustainability or convenience. The focus on dining-out scenarios may not reflect home-consumption or take-out behavior. Although CE and LCL methods support cross-cultural replication, the context-specific nature of the sample limits direct applicability to other countries. Practical implications The findings offer practical guidance for restaurants and policymakers. Restaurants should keep menus simple and highlight only one key cue—such as domestic origin—rather than combining multiple positive labels, which may confuse consumers. Allowing customers to choose rice types and showing origin information only when relevant can also reduce information overload. Pricing can be adjusted by income segment: higher-income consumers accept premiums of around 2,000 Japanese Yen (JPY) (plus ∼300 JPY for domestic labels), while lower-income consumers prefer premiums within 1,000 JPY. Policymakers can use these insights to promote local ingredients and regulate clearer label presentation. Originality/value Unlike previous studies conducted in household or retail settings, this paper investigates consumer behavior in a dining-out context, offering a more behaviorally realistic setting. The study provides novel insights by showing that the expected spillover effect between domestic and health-oriented food cues does not always occur, emphasizing the need for creative approaches to effectively combine these attributes in practice.