Evaluation of the Heart Smart(tm) Heart Beat Restaurant Program.

The Ottawa-Carleton Heart Beat Restaurant Program is intended to encourage restaurateurs to provide lower-fat and higher-fibre choices. Restaurants participating in this program are promoted through a dining guide and a newspaper supplement. In addition, all participating restaurants receive promotional materials - decal, certificate, menu inserts, table tents, and staff poster - for display. To determine restaurateurs' awareness of the program, provision of healthy food choices, and use of promotional materials, a survey was administered to 142 of the 222 participating restaurants. Results show that 92% of the restaurateurs were aware they were participating in this program, most restaurants could provide the healthy food choices, and 75% of restaurateurs recalled receiving the promotional materials. However, fewer than 33% used the table tents and menu inserts. Slightly more used the staff poster, and 45% or more used the decal and the certificate. These results indicate future directions for such programs.