FDA demands calorie counts on menus!

SnuggleSmacks

This is good news for people who like to eat out, but feel limited by the amount of information readily available. Hopefully, it will also make a lot of people think twice about what they're about to order. Some of this information is already available online, at each individual company's website, but this will make it SO much easier to walk into a place without pre-planning, or taking 10 minutes to search through your phone, and just order.

Unfortunately, it's only for chains which have at least 20 locations, but it also includes supermarket delis/salad bars/etc. and movie theater concessions. It will take a lot of the guesswork out of eating out. AND IT INCLUDES ANY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ADVERTISED ON A MENU!! That means if you go to the bar and ask for something off menu, you won't get a calorie count, but anything that's on the drink menu or the table placard has to have a calorie count.

Technically, this has been the law since 2010, but the FDA had to hash out all the fine details of what is and isn't included (for example, containers of potato salad with several servings, meant to take home, are not included, while potato salad on a salad bar, meant to be eaten now, is included.) This will be rolled out over the course of 2015 at all restaurants large enough to warrant it, and many of the smaller restaurants will follow suit if they can, because a lot of customers will demand it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/25/us/fda-to-announce-sweeping-calorie-rules-for-restaurants.html?_r=0

tl;dr: FDA is requiring restaurant chains of 20 or more stores to supply calorie counts on menus. Also, supermarkets and movie theaters!