Researchers tested different ways to design warning labels on restaurant menus to help people notice and avoid high-sugar foods. They showed 4,083 adults different menu designs with various label styles, colors, and sizes. Labels that combined a warning symbol with text were much more effective at catching people’s attention and reducing sugar orders compared to labels with just a symbol. Red labels and larger labels also helped a bit. The findings suggest that restaurants could use these label designs to help customers make healthier choices.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Which design features make warning labels on restaurant menus most effective at getting people to notice high-sugar foods and choose healthier options
  • Who participated: 4,083 adults from across the United States, selected to match the general population in terms of age, gender, race, ethnicity, and education level
  • Key finding: Labels combining a warning symbol with text were 5 times more likely to be noticed and 3.5 times more likely to be remembered compared to labels with just a symbol. These combination labels also reduced the amount of added sugar people ordered by about 10.5 grams
  • What it means for you: If restaurants adopt these label designs, you’ll have an easier time spotting high-sugar items and may naturally choose lower-sugar options. This is a helpful tool but shouldn’t replace reading full nutrition information or making your own informed choices

The Research Details

Researchers conducted an online experiment where participants viewed realistic restaurant menus on a computer. The menus showed fast-food and full-service restaurant items, with some items marked with warning labels for high added sugar (items containing more than half the daily recommended sugar limit). Each participant saw a different version of the labels to test which designs worked best.

The study tested four different design features: (1) label type—whether the label had just a symbol, just a symbol in a box, or a symbol plus text; (2) color—red versus black; (3) size—larger or smaller labels; and (4) placement—labels on the right or left side of the food name. This created many different combinations to test, allowing researchers to see which features mattered most.

Participants were asked to notice which items had warning labels and to identify their assigned label among other labels shown. Researchers also tracked which menu items people chose to order, measuring both whether they picked high-sugar items and how much total sugar they ordered.

Understanding which label designs work best is important because it helps restaurants and policymakers create tools that actually help people make healthier choices. A label that nobody notices won’t help anyone. By testing different designs with a large, representative group of Americans, this study provides real evidence about what works in the real world

This study has several strengths: it included over 4,000 participants selected to represent the U.S. population, it was registered in advance (meaning researchers committed to their analysis plan before seeing results), and it used a rigorous experimental design where participants were randomly assigned to see different label versions. The main limitation is that it was conducted online with menus on a computer rather than in actual restaurants, so people’s real-world behavior might differ slightly

What the Results Show

The most striking finding was the difference between label types. Labels that combined a warning symbol with text were dramatically more effective than labels with just a symbol. Specifically, 44% of people noticed the symbol-plus-text labels compared to only 7% who noticed symbol-only labels—a difference of 508%. When asked to recognize their assigned label among others, 82% of people correctly identified the symbol-plus-text labels versus only 23% for symbol-only labels—a 263% difference.

Beyond just noticing and remembering labels, the symbol-plus-text labels actually changed what people ordered. People were 11% less likely to order high-sugar items when they saw these labels, and they ordered about 10.5 grams less added sugar overall. This might not sound like much, but it’s meaningful when you consider that many sugary drinks contain 30-50 grams of added sugar.

The color of the label also mattered, but less dramatically. Red labels were noticed 16% more often than black labels and were remembered 20% better. Larger labels improved recognition by 13%. For labels with just a symbol, placing them on the right side of the item name increased noticing by 59%.

The study found that the benefits of red color and larger size were most helpful for symbol-only labels, but even with these improvements, symbol-only labels never performed as well as symbol-plus-text labels. This suggests that adding text is the most important design feature, and other improvements can help but can’t fully make up for missing text. The study also showed that these effects were consistent across both fast-food and full-service restaurant menus

Previous research suggested that warning labels could help reduce unhealthy food choices, but this study provides specific evidence about which design elements matter most. It builds on earlier work by testing multiple design features simultaneously and measuring both whether people notice labels and whether they actually change their behavior. The findings align with research on other warning labels (like those on cigarettes and sugary drinks) showing that combining symbols with text is more effective than symbols alone

The study was conducted online with people viewing menus on a computer, not in actual restaurants where people might be hungry, rushed, or distracted. People’s real-world behavior might differ from their choices in this controlled setting. Additionally, the study measured immediate ordering behavior, so it’s unclear whether people would continue to pay attention to labels over time or if the effect would wear off. The study also didn’t test whether people actually understood what the labels meant or if they simply avoided items because the labels looked warning-like

The Bottom Line

If you’re a restaurant owner or policymaker: Use warning labels that combine a clear symbol with text explaining the sugar content. Make them red rather than black, and consider making them slightly larger than the menu text. If you’re a consumer: Look for these types of labels when dining out, and use them as one tool among many to make informed choices about sugar intake. The evidence is strong (confidence level: high) that these labels can help reduce sugar consumption

Restaurant owners and chains should care about this research because it shows how to design labels that actually work. Public health officials and policymakers should use these findings when creating menu-labeling regulations. Consumers, especially those trying to reduce sugar intake or manage conditions like diabetes, can benefit from these labels. Parents concerned about their children’s sugar consumption should also pay attention. People who don’t care about sugar content or who actively want to indulge don’t need to apply these findings

You might notice a difference in your choices immediately when you see a well-designed label, but the real benefit comes from repeated exposure over weeks and months. Research suggests that people’s habits can shift within 2-4 weeks of consistent exposure to helpful information, though individual results vary

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track the grams of added sugar in items you order from restaurants over a two-week period. Set a baseline for your current consumption, then track again after you start paying attention to sugar warnings. Aim to reduce by 5-10 grams per meal as a realistic first goal
  • When browsing restaurant menus in the app, enable a feature that highlights high-sugar items (those with more than 50% of daily recommended sugar). Before ordering, pause and ask yourself: ‘Is this worth the sugar content?’ Consider ordering a smaller size or sharing the item with someone else
  • Set weekly reminders to review your sugar intake from restaurant meals. Create a simple chart showing your average sugar per meal over time. Celebrate small wins—even a 5-gram reduction per meal adds up to significant health benefits over months

This research shows that warning labels can help reduce sugar consumption, but labels are just one tool for making healthy choices. They don’t replace reading full nutrition information, consulting with healthcare providers about your specific dietary needs, or making informed personal decisions about food. If you have diabetes, prediabetes, or other health conditions affected by sugar intake, discuss dietary changes with your doctor or a registered dietitian. This study was conducted online and may not perfectly reflect real-world restaurant behavior. Individual results will vary based on personal motivation and circumstances.