Center for Science in the Public Interest

Wednesday, February 21, 1996

Contact: Penelope Miller (202) 332-9110 x 358

Typical Restaurant Breakfast Not the Way to Start Your Day

Latest CSPI Study Finds Plenty to Fault and a Few Healthy Surprises in the Land of the Grand Slam

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) -- the consumer group that's tested Chinese restaurants, movie-theater popcorn, and deli sandwiches -- has now turned its attention to the breakfast menu at some of the nation's most popular family-style restaurant chains.

The verdict: "You can find a healthy restaurant breakfast if you order carefully and you're willing to ask for substitutions," says CSPI senior nutritionist Jayne Hurley, who conducted CSPI's study. "But if you're not careful, it's easy to consume an entire day's worth of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, all before 10 a.m."

To conduct its study, CSPI analyzed 12 popular breakfast menu items at 17 mid-priced, family-style restaurants in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., including Denny's, Shoney's, Big Boy, International House of Pancakes, Perkins, Bob Evans, Cracker Barrel, Waffle House, Village Inn, Bakers Square, and Carrows.

The breakfast study is featured in the March issue of CSPI's 900,000-circulation Nutrition Action Healthletter. The results were also released today at a press conference in Washington, D.C.

Among the major findings:

• The most popular breakfast specials in the country -- typified by Denny's "Grand Slam" -- feature two eggs, two sausage links, two strips of bacon, and two pancakes. "Two of everything is just too much," charges Hurley.

"With two entire days' worth of cholesterol, 49 grams of fat, and more than 1,100 calories, this is worse than eating two McDonald's Quarter Pounders for breakfast," she continues. "A Grand-Slam type breakfast is a nutritional strikeout."

• The best breakfast choice: a hot or cold cereal platter served with fresh fruit, orange juice, and toast with jam. "You could eat five of these breakfasts and still get less fat than you would from one ham and cheese omelette," notes Hurley.

• An unhappy surprise was the Belgian waffle. One typical Belgian waffle contains as much artery-clogging saturated fat (17 grams) as two Quarter Pounders and more calories (900) than three McDonald's Hot Fudge Sundaes. Why? "It's not just the whipped cream topping," notes Hurley. "It's mostly the eggs, butter, and milk in the waffle batter."

• Other gut-busters: pancake or French toast platters served with four links of sausage contain about 65 grams of fat -- an entire day's worth -- even more than the Grand Slam-type meals. So do biscuit and gravy platters similar to Denny's Southern Slam. That's as much fat as a half-pound of Spam.

It wasn't all bad news, however, especially for consumers who are willing to request substitutions. Many restaurants, including Denny's, will allow certain substitutions at no cost, such as using egg substitute or providing fresh fruit in place of bacon and sausage in a Grand Slam-type platter. In a small sampling CSPI conducted, most but not all Denny's restaurants were aware that the company's policy is to permit such substitutions. Many Denny's menus mistakenly indicate that substitutions are prohibited. With more than 1,500 restaurants, Denny's is by far the largest of the family-style chains.

Other good news: breakfast buffet bars are increasingly available, offering the health-conscious diner the opportunity to fill up on fresh fruit and a variety of cereals.

For those who simply must have the traditional favorites, however, Hurley has this advice:

• Remember that an average order of sausage has ten times more fat than an order of ham. An order of bacon is roughly in the middle.

• Hash browns have half as much fat as french fries -- about as much as toast with margarine.

• When ordering toast, French toast, or pancakes, ask the waiter to hold the butter or margarine that many restaurants add automatically. Use jam on the toast and a small amount of syrup on the French toast and pancakes.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Center for Science in the Public Interest is a national consumer-advocacy organization specializing in food and nutrition issues. CSPI accepts no government or corporate funds. It is supported almost entirely by the 900,000 subscribers to Nutrition Action Healthletter.

ATTENTION EDITORS: Jayne Hurley is available for interviews on this subject by contacting Art Silverman at (202) 332-9110 x370. Journalists may obtain a full copy of CSPI's breakfast restaurant study and a complimentary subscription to Nutrition Action Healthletter by calling (202) 332-9110 x358.

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