Food Facts That Resteraunts Hide From You

lilmandy89

What does the restaurant industry have to hide? One of the true issues behind obesity is the fact that many chain restaurants — which provide one-third of all restaurant meals, according to the New York Department of Health — obfuscate the fat and calorie counts of their menu items, and fight any attempt to shed light on what, exactly, is going on between their buns and inside their taco shells.

Through scientific testing, consultations with nutrition experts, and good old-fashioned snooping, we uncovered some of the secrets these mega-restaurateurs have been keeping.

It's no wonder . . .

1) T.G.I. Friday’s

. . . doesn’t want you to know the nutritional impact of any of its dishes, which they have made a policy of not revealing to customers for years, despite the fact that major competitors such as Chili’s and Ruby Tuesday’s do just that. Thankfully, new legislation in New York City forces restaurants with 15 or more branches nationwide to provide calorie counts for all dishes and drinks on their menus.

We popped by T.G.I. Friday’s the day the law went into effect and saw some real shockers: 2,270 calories for Potato Skins, 1,670 calories for Double-Stack Quesadillas, and, most appalling of all, a Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad with 1,360 calories! Now we see why they worked so hard to keep these numbers hidden.

2) Burger King

. . . doesn't want you to know that its French Toast Sticks (which deliver more than 4 grams of fat per stick) share a deep fryer with the pork sausage, pork fritters, Chicken Tenders, Chicken Fries, Big Fish patties, hash browns, onion rings, and Cheesy Tots — and that all of those items contain harmful trans fats.

But there is hope: After the company was sued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest for moving too slowly to remove trans fats from its menu, Burger King promised to phase them out by the end of this year.

3) Red Robin

. . . doesn't want you to know the nutritional impact of its gourmet burgers. "A gourmet burger starts by being an honest burger," Red Robin's Web site declares — but not, apparently, a burger that will come clean about its nutrition facts.

When contacted, Red Robin's senior vice president responded that nutritional information for the menu would be available in October 2007. As of May 2008, however, nutrition facts were still not posted on the site.

4 ) Maggiano's Little Italy

. . . doesn't want you to know just how many calories and carbs you're consuming in those massive pasta portions. (As the menu puts it, "Family-style service or individual entrees are available . . . Whichever you choose, you'll have plenty to share or take home.")

In Italy, a standard pasta serving means 4 ounces of noodles with a few tablespoons of sauce. At Maggiano's, a large order of pasta translates into 2 pounds of noodles piled high on a hubcap-size dinner plate (15 1/2 inches in diameter). A Maggiano's PR rep responded to our request for nutritional information a week later: "Sorry for the delay. I had to wait for corporate's approval. Unfortunately, they have declined to participate."

5) Sit-down chains

. . . don't want you to know that their food is actually considerably worse for you than the often-maligned fast-food fare. In fact, our menu analysis of 24 national chains revealed that the average entree at a sit-down restaurant contains 867 calories, compared with 522 calories in the average fast-food entree. And that's before appetizers, sides, or desserts — selections that can easily double your total calorie intake

lilmandy89

What does the restaurant industry have to hide? One of the true issues behind obesity is the fact that many chain restaurants — which provide one-third of all restaurant meals, according to the New York Department of Health — obfuscate the fat and calorie counts of their menu items, and fight any attempt to shed light on what, exactly, is going on between their buns and inside their taco shells.

Through scientific testing, consultations with nutrition experts, and good old-fashioned snooping, we uncovered some of the secrets these mega-restaurateurs have been keeping.

It's no wonder . . .

1) T.G.I. Friday’s

. . . doesn’t want you to know the nutritional impact of any of its dishes, which they have made a policy of not revealing to customers for years, despite the fact that major competitors such as Chili’s and Ruby Tuesday’s do just that. Thankfully, new legislation in New York City forces restaurants with 15 or more branches nationwide to provide calorie counts for all dishes and drinks on their menus.

We popped by T.G.I. Friday’s the day the law went into effect and saw some real shockers: 2,270 calories for Potato Skins, 1,670 calories for Double-Stack Quesadillas, and, most appalling of all, a Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad with 1,360 calories! Now we see why they worked so hard to keep these numbers hidden.

2) Burger King

. . . doesn't want you to know that its French Toast Sticks (which deliver more than 4 grams of fat per stick) share a deep fryer with the pork sausage, pork fritters, Chicken Tenders, Chicken Fries, Big Fish patties, hash browns, onion rings, and Cheesy Tots — and that all of those items contain harmful trans fats.

But there is hope: After the company was sued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest for moving too slowly to remove trans fats from its menu, Burger King promised to phase them out by the end of this year.

3) Red Robin

. . . doesn't want you to know the nutritional impact of its gourmet burgers. "A gourmet burger starts by being an honest burger," Red Robin's Web site declares — but not, apparently, a burger that will come clean about its nutrition facts.

When contacted, Red Robin's senior vice president responded that nutritional information for the menu would be available in October 2007. As of May 2008, however, nutrition facts were still not posted on the site.

4 ) Maggiano's Little Italy

. . . doesn't want you to know just how many calories and carbs you're consuming in those massive pasta portions. (As the menu puts it, "Family-style service or individual entrees are available . . . Whichever you choose, you'll have plenty to share or take home.")

In Italy, a standard pasta serving means 4 ounces of noodles with a few tablespoons of sauce. At Maggiano's, a large order of pasta translates into 2 pounds of noodles piled high on a hubcap-size dinner plate (15 1/2 inches in diameter). A Maggiano's PR rep responded to our request for nutritional information a week later: "Sorry for the delay. I had to wait for corporate's approval. Unfortunately, they have declined to participate."

5) Sit-down chains

. . . don't want you to know that their food is actually considerably worse for you than the often-maligned fast-food fare. In fact, our menu analysis of 24 national chains revealed that the average entree at a sit-down restaurant contains 867 calories, compared with 522 calories in the average fast-food entree. And that's before appetizers, sides, or desserts — selections that can easily double your total calorie intake

shamahn17

I CANNOT believe there are 2200 calories in TGI Fridays potatoe skins...there is no way I would have ever put those in my mouth...they should have calorie info on their menu!!

cheri822

Wow! Good to know.
Thanks 4 posting

GingerKid

I worked for Red Robin about 11 years ago...they were upfront with the employees that they don't want people to know how many calories are in their menu items.

Cheese sticks, I recall my manager telling me hand a WHOPPING 4000 calories per basket (400cals per stick!). Their mudd pie had something like 65? 72? grams of fat in it!!

DWLZ has POINTS for Red Robin...and a Turkey burger w/ fries = 15 points. At about 50cals per point...you're looking at 750 for the whole meal...but if you took away the fries, she said you could save 6 points...

Their beef burgers on the other hand, had 25POINTS per full meal. I haven't had a beef burger there since :laugh: That would be about 1300 calories for burger and fries...and they give you unlimited fries!

I really hold a sore spot for restaurants who do not have SOMEWHERE you can go to find the nutritional content of their menu items. They make the excuse that their things are "made to order" however...they put their "standard" on the menu...there should be nutritional info availible plain and simple

abbychelle07

Wow! I am scared of restaurants now! I eat most of my meals at home, and my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook has all of the nutritional info after each recipe. I love that! :happy:

songbyrdsweet

Or we could just take responsibility for our OWN actions and either stop eating when we're simply not hungry (rather than full), choose not to eat the fries, or just order something like grilled fish and veggies.

I'm getting pretty tired of people blaming restaurants for having high-calorie food...they aren't force-feeding you, and they have no obligation to calorie-count just so you can have piece of mind. Eat it or don't. It's your body. No one knocks Nabisco for making Oreos incredibly high in fat and sugar, and only *you* are to blame if you eat half the pack. But if you go into a restaurant and scarf down a 1/2 lb burger and fries, it's the restaurant's fault that it had so many calories? If you want to know exactly what's in your food, you have to make it yourself. Otherwise, just enjoy a dinner out with your family and don't blame others for what food choices YOU make.


(rant over)

Helawat

Actually, Red Robin does post their nutritional information and allows you to customize your meal:

http://www.redrobin.com/home/customizer.aspx

Healthier_Me

I agree with SBS!!!

~Joanna:flowerforyou:

Funkystarr

Ya I always use the customize your meal thing at Red Robins website.

CrystalBella

I just read that on yahoo... and that explains why I don't eat out anymore.. Or Ill just have the meat and take it home n add veggies... that is ridiculous!

GingerKid

Actually, Red Robin does post their nutritional information and allows you to customize your meal:

http://www.redrobin.com/home/customizer.aspx

OMG!! Thank you. I'll have to check that out!!

As for the "rant" I agree with your point in theory. My beef has never been with the fact that they offer the high fat foods...it's that you have had NO way to tell what kind of caloric value their food has. I am all for awareness...not them having to modify their menus

GingerKid

sorry for the serial posting...but I just wanted to say that Red Robin thing is way cool!! :bigsmile:

I have been searching for information there b.c. I DO like the food, but I know how it can kick your *kitten* calorically....being able to have the knowledge to choose more wisely is so super awesome!

Thanks!! :flowerforyou: (going to go back to that site now and play with it :blushing: )

Beccilynn

yep ! saw that on yahoo this morning ! crazy !! :noway: