# Why are there no fast-food places that serve fruit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634 "2010-05-07T15:05:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/21 "2010-05-07T18:13:23Z")
What I’ve been wondering is why fast food places can’t offer little bags of baby carrots as an option to fries or salads. They’d be healthier than the former and easier to eat while driving than the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/22 "2010-05-07T19:05:52Z")
> [@missred](#): > > What I’ve been wondering is why fast food places can’t offer little bags of baby carrots as an option to fries or salads. They’d be healthier than the former and easier to eat while driving than the latter. See, now this is a great idea! Fast food veggies was the other thing I had wanted to mention, too. Sometimes you just want a pile of raw broccoli. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/23 "2010-05-07T19:07:18Z")
Cosi offers baby carrots as an option instead of chips. 7-Eleven usually has some fruit, but it’s pretty hit-and-miss. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/24 "2010-05-07T19:57:03Z")
Why would you need to prep them at all? Just sell a whole apple or banana. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/25 "2010-05-08T00:16:01Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why would you need to prep them at all? Just sell a whole apple or banana. Why? A grocery store already sells the same thing, and probably would be able to do so more cheaply. Oh, and while I’ve not seen carrots instead of fries, I’ve seen apples or even a salad. ---
**Author:** ![Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sticks_and_scones/32/16951_2.png) [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sticks_and_Scones)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/26 "2010-05-08T00:29:14Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Sometimes you just want a pile of raw broccoli. Nope. Not ever. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/27 "2010-05-08T01:49:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why would you need to prep them at all? Just sell a whole apple or banana. Ever watch people picking fruit at the market? ---
**Author:** ![jellyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jellyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellyblue)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/28 "2010-05-08T01:56:43Z")
You can usually get a fruit cup at Starbuck’s, but my favorite is [Pinkberries](http://www.pinkberry.com/products.html) (_ **CAUTION!** _ Annoying music.) REALLY fresh fruit and frozen yogurt that tastes like yogurt. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/29 "2010-05-08T03:30:29Z")
> [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](#): > > Nope. Not ever. 😛 I don’t know, I just love raw broccoli. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/30 "2010-05-08T04:10:09Z")
Starbucks has fruit cups in a refrigerator bin and also bananas at the register. I get one sometimes when I realize I forgot to bring fruit from home. Jack in the Box also has fruit cups, but they are much smaller. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/31 "2010-05-08T09:00:06Z")
> [@missred](#): > > What I’ve been wondering is why fast food places can’t offer little bags of baby carrots as an option to fries or salads. They’d be healthier than the former and easier to eat while driving than the latter. McDonald’s does this here. Don’t they do that in the States? 😕 Sweden’s Max chain also offers baby carrots as a side dish option. They also sell a grilled chicken sandwich in a wholegrain bun that is downright addicting… ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/32 "2010-05-08T09:24:28Z")
Hey, keep your vegiterrorism out of my fast food joints. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/33 "2010-05-08T10:01:09Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > McDonald’s does this here. Don’t they do that in the States? 😕 > > Sweden’s Max chain also offers baby carrots as a side dish option. They also sell a grilled chicken sandwich in a wholegrain bun that is downright addicting… I thought they did here, too, but I figured I was misremembering if no one else said anything. Granted, I think it’s only in Happy Meals… Anyways, to answer the question: fruit isn’t offered in fast food for the same reason other healthier options are rare. The clientele that normally eat there don’t want it, or can get it easier elsewhere. McDonald’s is the one exception I’ve seen, and I think that’s mostly a PR move due to _Supersize Me_. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/34 "2010-05-08T11:53:43Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I thought they did here, too, but I figured I was misremembering if no one else said anything. Granted, I think it’s only in Happy Meals. In the UK, it’s not just Happy Meals and they do a bag of apple slices & grapes as well. While you can have either instead of fries as part of a Happy Meal, you can also just buy them by themselves. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/35 "2010-05-08T12:32:31Z")
i’ve only been to the US a few times, but at least in vegas, walgreens and other convenience stores sold fresh fruit, why would you want to buy it from a fast food outlet? ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/36 "2010-05-08T13:55:54Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why would you need to prep them at all? Just sell a whole apple or banana. As others have hinted at, it’s very important to fast food restaurants that their food tastes the same from visit to visit, restaurant to restaurant, and there is probably too much variance in quality of whole fruit. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/37 "2010-05-08T14:37:46Z")
I recall reading that when McDonald’s started serving apple slices, that the need for uniformity completely changed the apple-growing business in this country. They became the largest purchaser of apples in the country and they needed them all to be exactly the same. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/38 "2010-05-08T16:44:41Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Hey, keep your vegiterrorism out of my fast food joints. Whatsamatter? Don’t you know how to [defend yourself against fresh fruit](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piWCBOsJr-w)? ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/39 "2010-05-08T19:10:26Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > McDonald’s does this here. Don’t they do that in the States? 😕 > > Sweden’s Max chain also offers baby carrots as a side dish option. They also sell a grilled chicken sandwich in a wholegrain bun that is downright addicting… Nope. Sure wish they did. One of the arguments against fresh fruit is the perishability and handling. Baby carrots as a veggie escapes both of those. They can be packaged in individual bags (I buy them like this for travel snacks) and refrigerated, they will last quite a while. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634/40 "2010-05-08T20:14:43Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Anyways, to answer the question: fruit isn’t offered in fast food for the same reason other healthier options are rare. The clientele that normally eat there don’t want it, or can get it easier elsewhere. McDonald’s is the one exception I’ve seen, and I think that’s mostly a PR move due to _Supersize Me_. I’m certain that this is the answer. There isn’t a big enough demand from their customers. If there were, I’m sure they would find a way to make it happen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-fast-food-places-that-serve-fruit/538634.md?page=3)