Should Restaurants be Required to Disclose Nutritional Info?

Options
_errata_
_errata_ Posts: 1,653 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Context: I am getting real tired of your **** restaurants. Every time I email a restaurant for nutritional info I get rejected.

umad.gif

If a publically traded company has to divulge financials per SEC regulation, should food companies also be required to divulge nutritional info?
«1

Replies

  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Options
    Welllll...see...having worked in a few fine dining restaurants with constantly changing menus I don't see how practical it is. I am not saying I would not like to have the information because I really would, but even restaurants like Applebee's have menus that change with the seasons, etc. so I just don't really see how it would work. THEN, you'd have the people who order their "Trendy Menu Item" and ask for it with "no sauce" or "sauce on the side" or "no onions" or whatever and next thing you know they're going to be asking how many calories are in a tablespoon of the sauce because they didn't eat it all.

    Strangely enough I felt like Chris Farley in the "van down by the river" skit just now.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    Options
    those bastages!

    OP, you should totally post a thread on MFP ranting about this issue.

    oh wait...

    nvm. :embarassed:
  • _errata_
    _errata_ Posts: 1,653 Member
    Options
    those bastages!

    OP, you should totally post a thread on MFP ranting about this issue.

    oh wait...

    nvm. :embarassed:

    :grumble:

    :puts you on the list of people who help the infamous illuminati pronouns control our food supply:
  • shawmutt
    shawmutt Posts: 74 Member
    Options
    Didn't we just have this talk?

    I'm cooking most of my own food, and not counting on restaurants to be accurate, even when they provide calories. When I do eat at restaurants (like today for lunch) I do my best to approximate and then add a bit for good measure.

    You can't legislate willpower. We need the government doing government work, not playing nanny.
  • _errata_
    _errata_ Posts: 1,653 Member
    Options
    Didn't we just have this talk?

    I'm cooking most of my own food, and not counting on restaurants to be accurate, even when they provide calories. When I do eat at restaurants (like today for lunch) I do my best to approximate and then add a bit for good measure.

    You can't legislate willpower. We need the government doing government work, not playing nanny.

    I am against it for philosophical reasons. I just wanted to ***** about it and post a chris farley gif.

    8Kxjz.gif
  • Derp_Diggler
    Derp_Diggler Posts: 1,456 Member
    Options
    If you've ever seen a commercial kitchen in action you know those guys are not using measuring cups and teaspoons when they pump out 220 individual meals in four hours. So the only way to ensure accuracy would be to have all the meals pre packaged. Which somewhat defeats the purpose of going out for a nice meal. Thanks, but I'll pass. Give me the Mona Lisas of the culinary world and I'll deal with my own calories. You can keep the Wal-Mart art.
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,723 Member
    Options
    If you've ever seen a commercial kitchen in action you know those guys are not using measuring cups and teaspoons when they pump out 220 individual meals in four hours. So the only way to ensure accuracy would be to have all the meals pre packaged. Which somewhat defeats the purpose of going out for a nice meal. Thanks, but I'll pass. Give me the Mona Lisas of the culinary world and I'll deal with my own calories. You can keep the Wal-Mart art.

    *slow clap*

    That is beautiful, man.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Options
    I don't go out to eat that much, but when I do, most of the places we go have the info available on their website. If you are going to an all-out, gourmet place, consider it an indulgence, guesstimate and call it good.
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,154 Member
    Options
    Heck no. How can you take personal responsibility for yourself if you know how many calories are in your food? Take your spoiled, lazy American butt to a laboratory and analyze it yourself! Slobs.
  • _errata_
    _errata_ Posts: 1,653 Member
    Options
    Heck no. How can you take personal responsibility for yourself if you know how many calories are in your food? Take your spoiled, lazy American butt to a laboratory and analyze it yourself! Slobs.

    Why you gotta hate? It's not my fault you're poor.

    chips.gif
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
    Options
    Read as:

    I want information that 90% of a restaurant patrons don't care about. I don't care that it's a choice to dine there, that my nutritional goals are not the responsibility of a private business or that my simple request is anything but simple. I don't care that it is difficult, time consuming or places a hardship on another person because what I want and 'need' is more important than their wants and needs.

    Cater to me and my solipsistic tendencies.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,923 Member
    Options
    If you've ever seen a commercial kitchen in action you know those guys are not using measuring cups and teaspoons when they pump out 220 individual meals in four hours. So the only way to ensure accuracy would be to have all the meals pre packaged. Which somewhat defeats the purpose of going out for a nice meal. Thanks, but I'll pass. Give me the Mona Lisas of the culinary world and I'll deal with my own calories. You can keep the Wal-Mart art.
    This weekend is the opening of our seasonal Bistro and spent most of yesterday and today going from farm to farm not to mention Costco, bulk barn and Loblaws. Tomorrow morning I'll trim and portion ribeyes and break down a lamb and still haven't made up my mind on a few sauces, will I leave the skin on the pickerel, how much fat is lost in a 12 hour smoke for pork belly.......blah, blah, blah.........when am I going to have time to figure out the nutritional information and try and make a profit for a restaurant that goes balls to the wall for 16 weeks, then comes to a grinding halt......not to mention, my customer base looks at the nutrition profile as a non issue.........
  • _errata_
    _errata_ Posts: 1,653 Member
    Options
    Read as:

    I want information that 90% of a restaurant patrons don't care about. I don't care that it's a choice to dine there, that my nutritional goals are not the responsibility of a private business or that my simple request is anything but simple. I don't care that it is difficult, time consuming or places a hardship on another person because what I want and 'need' is more important than their wants and needs.

    Cater to me and my solipsistic tendencies.

    bfd.gif
  • Blackhawk19D
    Blackhawk19D Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    You have to be responsible for you. Use common sense. Don't expect others to use common sense for you.
  • _errata_
    _errata_ Posts: 1,653 Member
    Options
    If you've ever seen a commercial kitchen in action you know those guys are not using measuring cups and teaspoons when they pump out 220 individual meals in four hours. So the only way to ensure accuracy would be to have all the meals pre packaged. Which somewhat defeats the purpose of going out for a nice meal. Thanks, but I'll pass. Give me the Mona Lisas of the culinary world and I'll deal with my own calories. You can keep the Wal-Mart art.
    This weekend is the opening of our seasonal Bistro and spent most of yesterday and today going from farm to farm not to mention Costco, bulk barn and Loblaws. Tomorrow morning I'll trim and portion ribeyes and break down a lamb and still haven't made up my mind on a few sauces, will I leave the skin on the pickerel, how much fat is lost in a 12 hour smoke for pork belly.......blah, blah, blah.........when am I going to have time to figure out the nutritional information and try and make a profit for a restaurant that goes balls to the wall for 16 weeks, then comes to a grinding halt......not to mention, my customer base looks at the nutrition profile as a non issue.........

    Good answer... following what Derp said. I agree. The places I am talking about are chain restaurants though. They aren't grabbing awesome ingredients from local farmers and winging recipes on a daily basis. To turn a profit, they have to have ingredients well accounted for. High end restaurant experiences like the one you mention charge higher prices and are less concerned about quantity so much as they are concerned with quality. The chain restaurants, however, know the recipes. They know the ingredients. They could create a nutritional guide like so many other places do, but they choose not to for competitive reasons, reasons, by the way, that have nothing to do with what has been stated thus far.

    Regardless, I am against forcing companies to do this. It would be nice though... as one poster said, McCindy I believe, I guess I should just use my brain and go to places that do publish nutritional information. :)
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,923 Member
    Options
    If you've ever seen a commercial kitchen in action you know those guys are not using measuring cups and teaspoons when they pump out 220 individual meals in four hours. So the only way to ensure accuracy would be to have all the meals pre packaged. Which somewhat defeats the purpose of going out for a nice meal. Thanks, but I'll pass. Give me the Mona Lisas of the culinary world and I'll deal with my own calories. You can keep the Wal-Mart art.
    This weekend is the opening of our seasonal Bistro and spent most of yesterday and today going from farm to farm not to mention Costco, bulk barn and Loblaws. Tomorrow morning I'll trim and portion ribeyes and break down a lamb and still haven't made up my mind on a few sauces, will I leave the skin on the pickerel, how much fat is lost in a 12 hour smoke for pork belly.......blah, blah, blah.........when am I going to have time to figure out the nutritional information and try and make a profit for a restaurant that goes balls to the wall for 16 weeks, then comes to a grinding halt......not to mention, my customer base looks at the nutrition profile as a non issue.........

    Good answer... following what Derp said. I agree. The places I am talking about are chain restaurants though. They aren't grabbing awesome ingredients from local farmers and winging recipes on a daily basis. To turn a profit, they have to have ingredients well accounted for. High end restaurant experiences like the one you mention charge higher prices and are less concerned about quantity so much as they are concerned with quality. The chain restaurants, however, know the recipes. They know the ingredients. They could create a nutritional guide like so many other places do, but they choose not to for competitive reasons, reasons, by the way, that have nothing to do with what has been stated thus far.

    Regardless, I am against forcing companies to do this. It would be nice though... as one poster said, McCindy I believe, I guess I should just use my brain and go to places that do publish nutritional information. :)
    Telling people what and how much is in their food hasn't seemed to be very successful to date. Brazil's new guidlines might be a better solution imo.

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/brazil-takes-an-unambiguous-new-approach-to-fighting-fat/article17496796/
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,154 Member
    Options
    If you've ever seen a commercial kitchen in action you know those guys are not using measuring cups and teaspoons when they pump out 220 individual meals in four hours. So the only way to ensure accuracy would be to have all the meals pre packaged. Which somewhat defeats the purpose of going out for a nice meal. Thanks, but I'll pass. Give me the Mona Lisas of the culinary world and I'll deal with my own calories. You can keep the Wal-Mart art.
    This weekend is the opening of our seasonal Bistro and spent most of yesterday and today going from farm to farm not to mention Costco, bulk barn and Loblaws. Tomorrow morning I'll trim and portion ribeyes and break down a lamb and still haven't made up my mind on a few sauces, will I leave the skin on the pickerel, how much fat is lost in a 12 hour smoke for pork belly.......blah, blah, blah.........when am I going to have time to figure out the nutritional information and try and make a profit for a restaurant that goes balls to the wall for 16 weeks, then comes to a grinding halt......not to mention, my customer base looks at the nutrition profile as a non issue.........

    Good answer... following what Derp said. I agree. The places I am talking about are chain restaurants though. They aren't grabbing awesome ingredients from local farmers and winging recipes on a daily basis. To turn a profit, they have to have ingredients well accounted for. High end restaurant experiences like the one you mention charge higher prices and are less concerned about quantity so much as they are concerned with quality. The chain restaurants, however, know the recipes. They know the ingredients. They could create a nutritional guide like so many other places do, but they choose not to for competitive reasons, reasons, by the way, that have nothing to do with what has been stated thus far.

    Regardless, I am against forcing companies to do this. It would be nice though... as one poster said, McCindy I believe, I guess I should just use my brain and go to places that do publish nutritional information. :)
    Telling people what and how much is in their food hasn't seemed to be very successful to date. Brazil's new guidlines might be a better solution imo.

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/brazil-takes-an-unambiguous-new-approach-to-fighting-fat/article17496796/

    We're America. The richest, bestest, most wonderfulest country in the world. We don't need no communist nutrition info!
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Options
    This would require every single restaurant having a dietician or manager taking courses, doing research.... for every single item they put on the menu. Impractical. It is common sense in a lot of cases any. e.g. that double half-pounder with cheese, bacon, pizza, mushrooms and pepperoni has probably got a few calories in it.

    This is and never has been an issue for a lot of countries i.e. not every country has an obesity crisis. so it is about culture more than anything else. This topic has been raised quite a lot recently but to me it seems to be more of an excuse for being overweight, blaming lack of information, whereas, in the health conscious world we live in, we have anything but lack of information.
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Options
    If you've ever seen a commercial kitchen in action you know those guys are not using measuring cups and teaspoons when they pump out 220 individual meals in four hours. So the only way to ensure accuracy would be to have all the meals pre packaged. Which somewhat defeats the purpose of going out for a nice meal. Thanks, but I'll pass. Give me the Mona Lisas of the culinary world and I'll deal with my own calories. You can keep the Wal-Mart art.
    This weekend is the opening of our seasonal Bistro and spent most of yesterday and today going from farm to farm not to mention Costco, bulk barn and Loblaws. Tomorrow morning I'll trim and portion ribeyes and break down a lamb and still haven't made up my mind on a few sauces, will I leave the skin on the pickerel, how much fat is lost in a 12 hour smoke for pork belly.......blah, blah, blah.........when am I going to have time to figure out the nutritional information and try and make a profit for a restaurant that goes balls to the wall for 16 weeks, then comes to a grinding halt......not to mention, my customer base looks at the nutrition profile as a non issue.........

    Good answer... following what Derp said. I agree. The places I am talking about are chain restaurants though. They aren't grabbing awesome ingredients from local farmers and winging recipes on a daily basis. To turn a profit, they have to have ingredients well accounted for. High end restaurant experiences like the one you mention charge higher prices and are less concerned about quantity so much as they are concerned with quality. The chain restaurants, however, know the recipes. They know the ingredients. They could create a nutritional guide like so many other places do, but they choose not to for competitive reasons, reasons, by the way, that have nothing to do with what has been stated thus far.

    Regardless, I am against forcing companies to do this. It would be nice though... as one poster said, McCindy I believe, I guess I should just use my brain and go to places that do publish nutritional information. :)
    Telling people what and how much is in their food hasn't seemed to be very successful to date. Brazil's new guidlines might be a better solution imo.

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/brazil-takes-an-unambiguous-new-approach-to-fighting-fat/article17496796/

    We're America. The richest, bestest, most wonderfulest country in the world. We don't need no communist nutrition info!

    I agree, except for the 100 countries I could name in front of you.
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,154 Member
    Options
    Heck no. How can you take personal responsibility for yourself if you know how many calories are in your food? Take your spoiled, lazy American butt to a laboratory and analyze it yourself! Slobs.

    Why you gotta hate? It's not my fault you're poor.

    chips.gif

    Dearie, I'm too poor to eat out most of the time. But being the America loving, capitalist patriot I am *snicker*, I worry for our wealthier, traveling business people. It's hard for America to flex its capitalist sinews when so many of our best and brightest are overweight and lethargic. If they had the proper nutrition information, they could make better choices for where to go and what to order during their freedom-inspiring power lunches.

Categories