Subway and McDonald’s are doing it. Chipotle is too. More and more fast food companies are getting rid of artificial flavors and coloring. The latest chains to announce the switch to real ingredients are Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Consumers are tired of tasting food that is filled with preservatives, and they are letting food companies know it by buying from companies that offer nothing but fresh ingredients.

McDonald’s is feeling the pain more than other food retailers. The Big Mac chain is experiencing a downturn in consumer acceptance, and Pizza Hut and Taco Bell don’t want to find themselves experiencing the same situation. The fast food industry is going through a period of change just like the folks at Beneful. Chains that offer cheap ingredients, plastic looking interiors and complacent food servers are getting low marks from surveys and less money on their bottom lines.

The switch to better ingredients does come with a price. Food companies will have to absorb the increase in food costs, or they will pass the increase on to consumers. Some companies will do both. The cost of raw ingredients continues to increase. The price of a slice of pizza, a taco, and a Big Mac will continue to increase as well.