Chains Sprout Whole Grains

The Uno Chicago Grill menu features two whole-grain pasta dishes: Farmer’s Market Penne and Chicken Penne Pomodoro. “The pomodoro, like nearly any chicken dish, is quite popular, and the farmer’s market item is frequently ordered by our vegetarian guests,” says Gatto. “In addition, we also allow guests to substitute whole grain for any pasta dish on the menu.” He also says a lot of parents choose the whole-grain pasta option when ordering for their children off of the kids’ menu.

A wider range of pastas that capitalize on the benefits of a variety of whole-grain, high-fiber and/or ancient-grain flours will likely soon hit the market, notes Veal—and sometimes the combination of the flour and pasta type work particularly well together. “Some shapes, like orzo, even replicate the mouthfeel of traditional ingredients like brown rice, with the added benefit of faster cook times,” he says.

Amir Karkouti, chief financial officer, Surf Brothers Teriyaki, says the California chain now has brown rice on the menu. “We decided to put brown rice on our menu because many of our customers are trying to stay healthy,” he says. “Our meats are already lower in fat, without any preservatives, and brown rice just complemented our already-healthy menu. Brown rice has a lower glycemic index and it’s not refined like white rice, so our customers are enjoying the health benefits. Also, it has a ‘grainy’ taste that seems to go well with our food.”

Kartouti says the brown rice has been even more popular than had been expected. “Surprisingly, it has superseded white rice in some of our locations,” he says. “On some days, we have a 70:30 ratio in some of our locations.

“I don’t believe this is going to be just a trend, but a staple in our diets,” Kartouti continues. “We are already starting to see many big companies, such as Kraft, adding whole-grain choices to many of their products. I think that our palates have been desensitized by refined, processed foods, and whole-grain, natural products are starting to get back into our diets like they are supposed to be.”

Kate Harrigan is a freelance writer and editor specializing in food and travel. She lives in Massachusetts.