A study coauthored by USF’s Dipayan Biswas found that digital ordering platforms impact consumer behavior, often leading to unhealthier food choices and increased spending. The team reviewed 23,000 orders from a variety of restaurants and found that 61% of digital orders were unhealthy – more than 3% higher than non-digital orders.

“Digital ordering modes foster a more automatic decision-making process with lower cognitive involvement,” says Biswas. “This is because digital tools encourage people to rely less on their cognitive resources and more on automated processes.” The study also found that consumers that are more proficient with technology may be less susceptible to this “Google Effect.”

• Dipayan Biswas