Calories on the menu where you live?

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inertiastrength
inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
in Food and Nutrition
As of January 1st Ontario requires that every restaurant with more than 20 locations now list the calories of everything on the menu. I love this change and wondered if it's common elsewhere?
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  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    They have that where I live. It can be helpful if you eat in a lot of big chain restaurants.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
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    fascha wrote: »
    As of January 1st Ontario requires that every restaurant with more than 20 locations now list the calories of everything on the menu. I love this change and wondered if it's common elsewhere?

    I am starting to see it in BC. Starbucks, McDonalds, A&W so far. Places like White Spot, Cactus Club, Boston Pizza, and Earls have it online but I don't think it is directly on the menu. Could be mistaken though.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Got one of those flyers in the mail recently (Ontario) from KFC and it had the calories listed - I think this is truly wonderful and certainly helps me plan a meal when i am eating out. Also in a little bistro pub in town, they have been doing this for quite some time even though its not required for a place of their size - I eat there often with that being one of the main reasons for my choice (and its good food!)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Some do here in NJ, most don't. Honestly though, I usually avoid going to big chains anyway, so it's kind of a moot point.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited March 2017
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    It's required in the US...I'm not sure on the number of locations though.

    ETA: it's 20 locations or more.
  • BlueSkyShoal
    BlueSkyShoal Posts: 325 Member
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    A lot of restaurants do that where I live, and it's great!
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    Some do here in NJ, most don't. Honestly though, I usually avoid going to big chains anyway, so it's kind of a moot point.

    I don't often eat out at chains and the few I do I already looked up the calories but it's a useful tool for the people who are totally unaware that their "turkey panini" from the Costco food court just cost them half their day's calories lol
  • ashleyg2688
    ashleyg2688 Posts: 29 Member
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    Here in central Pa our fast food places list the calories but not our other restaurants.
  • LushFix
    LushFix Posts: 306 Member
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    I'm in Alberta and places like McDonald's and A & w have them. That's all I have seen so far.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    It's required in the US...I'm not sure on the number of locations though.

    ETA: it's 20 locations or more.

    In Nevada, so, yeah, this. Chain places have them, but local places don't.
  • PizzaWarrior
    PizzaWarrior Posts: 17 Member
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    I love that we're doing this in Ontario now! I feel like it's so much easier for me to plan how to adjust the rest of my meals if I'm going out to eat!
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
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    Most places here in NYC have calorie counts and it's a law for chains.
  • crystallee85
    crystallee85 Posts: 50 Member
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    PizzaWarrior wrote: »
    I love that we're doing this in Ontario now! I feel like it's so much easier for me to plan how to adjust the rest of my meals if I'm going out to eat!

    I'm also from Ontario and think it's a great idea. It can be a bit frightening looking at how calorie dense some seemingly "healthier" options can be. What kind of salad is 900 calories?! Lol
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    crazyravr wrote: »
    Calories arent everything. They should actually show nutrition not calories IMHO.
    Also, went to a Chinese buffet and all the items had calories per serving. What they forgot to mention is what that serving size is.

    I realize that but it's a good start. Most people don't know that the turkey sandwich they think is healthier than the hot dog at Costco has 25% more total calories

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    It's required in the US...I'm not sure on the number of locations though.

    ETA: it's 20 locations or more.

    It seems like a lot of places have the calories on select menu items but not all. I've never looked into it but I've always figured that the restaurants are only required to have the calories on a certain number of items.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    Gosh, we go out so rarely and almost always to local places. I didn't even know the US had a law that calories had to be on the menu. I thought chains just had to have it available.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    It's required in the US...I'm not sure on the number of locations though.

    ETA: it's 20 locations or more.

    It seems like a lot of places have the calories on select menu items but not all. I've never looked into it but I've always figured that the restaurants are only required to have the calories on a certain number of items.

    I looked it up and the FDA site says it must be available for "standard menu items". So limited or seasonal offerings would be required I guess.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    It's at some places here (Newfoundland), but not everywhere and not in places I'd expect to have it (national/multinational chains like Tim's).
  • PizzaWarrior
    PizzaWarrior Posts: 17 Member
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    crystallee85 wrote: »
    I'm also from Ontario and think it's a great idea. It can be a bit frightening looking at how calorie dense some seemingly "healthier" options can be. What kind of salad is 900 calories?! Lol

    Oh gosh I know! It's opened my eyes big time, I know when I went to cora's (you know, it's supposedly "healthy") for brunch the other day with the BF we were both shocked at how high the calories were on some of the menu items! Healthy choices my butt :|
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,535 Member
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    California started this so we've had it for quite a few years now. It makes it a lot easier to decide if something is really worth having if your calories are alotted.


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