Sure, it would be nice if more Americans ate a more balanced diet. But it seems every food company out there is desperate to claim that its chow can turn Joe Sixpack into Charles Atlas. This message sounds especially strange when it comes from fast-food companies, which have built their fortunes on fried cuisine.
Yum! Brands'
I don't mean to suggest that Yum! and other fast-food outfits should not offer healthier options or improve their traditional menu items, as long as they don't sacrifice taste. After all, McDonald's
Yum!'s marketing antics with KFC do not take away from its commanding global presence. That, along with the company's recent initiation of a $0.10 per share dividend, is enough to make one's mouth water. If Yum! can strike the right balance between KFC's traditional menu and healthier alternatives, though, the stock would be even more appetizing.
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Fool contributor Brian Gorman is a freelance writer living in Chicago, Ill. He does not own shares of any companies mentioned here.