Winning combinationsWinning combinations

Fern Glazer

Many diners have been carrying on a love affair with combo meals ever since quick-service operators first introduced them in the 1990s. But over the past several years restaurant patrons seem to have lost a little of that lovin’ feeling for the order-by-number meals.

Consumers purchased 8 billion combo meals — also known as bundled meals — in the year ended January 2012, down more than 12 percent from the 9 billion sold five years earlier, according to new data from market research firm The NPD Group.

But while combo-meal sales declined significantly during that period, 20 percent of all lunch and dinner visits still include a combo meal.

“Combo meals are still huge, even though [they are on the] decline,” observed NPD analyst Bo...