Do you think all restaurants should be required to provide n

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  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,051 Member
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    I prefer the ignorance! All the chains here in NYC are required to post the info on the menu, kinda ruins the enjoyment sometimes.
  • kappy_hollowell
    kappy_hollowell Posts: 399
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    Agreed! Nutrition and ingredients should be on everything.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,936 Member
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    No.
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
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    Any restaurant that has more than two or three places should have to provide nutrition information, in my opinion. Even if it's not a 'chain'.
    This protects the small places, but would still get places like Cracker Barrel to actually have their info available. There's nothing I hate more than finding out a restaurant I want to eat at doesn't provide any nutrition information at all.
  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
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    It's not a big deal to me.
  • trybefan
    trybefan Posts: 488 Member
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    Yes, they should. I believe they think it will cut back on their customers if they do.
  • fuzzimama
    fuzzimama Posts: 85
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    Oops, double post.
  • Nic620
    Nic620 Posts: 553 Member
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    I know some of the larger ones do but if all did it would certainly open up options for the times I want to have a bite somewhere.
  • fuzzimama
    fuzzimama Posts: 85
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    oh well. going out is a sort of indulgence any how, so I understand why things are so fatty/salty/delicious/amazing in that respect!


    Yes, that's what I think too. I kind of figure that if its a sensible salad and iced water, then I would be better off saving my $$ and making one at home LOL.

    And I agree with Aaronlock that common sense is a wonderful tool. I think it would be a crime to constrain passionate, creative cooks in small restaurants to nutritional panels. Why should the rest of the world (i.e. non-dieters), be subject to our need for nutritional panels? Why shouldn't the chef be able to say to the produce guy, or the fish guy, or the cheese guy "Ahhhh! You've got some of that wonderful stuff, that'll be going in the soup/salad/pizza tonight!"
  • nicehormones
    nicehormones Posts: 503 Member
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    They totally should be required because food prep is mostly what seems to count. You can think you're eating healthy while eating out when you order a salad... Well, that salad might just be 1200 calories.
  • GeoJenna223
    GeoJenna223 Posts: 68 Member
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    I absolutely think restaurants should be required to provide nutritional information...and law makers agree.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fda-proposal-would-require-chain-restaurants-to-display-calorie-information/2011/04/01/AFOxCkHC_story.html

    I think it would make a difference in some people's decisions at restaurants. I want to know so I can track it.

    As far as chef's discretion/on the fly cooking...even those restaurants have steady menu items at least over seasons (winter menu, summer menu, etc.) I think anything that is offered for longer than a month at those places should have approximate figures, just to give people an idea.

    I also don't think it would be that big of a burden for small business owners. The ingredients are all labeled with nutri data, just have a week where everytime someone makes a dish have them measure out the quantities and log it! I create every recipe i make and save it to my recipes on this site, it takes an extra 5 minutes each time i prepare a new meal.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    I agree. I got frustrated waiting tables last year because my boss didn't know nutritional information of anything he had his kitchen staff making... it can't be THAT expensive to hire someone to calculate it all out, can it? Ugh.

    These days I typically only eat fast food (Subway, Chipotle, Chick-Fil-A, etc.) or chain restaurants where I know I can figure out the calories. The tricky stuff is asian food. I love Korean but there are only a couple dishes I can find, and it's all done in grams so it's hard to know how much I'm supposed to eat of it. :\


    Staying in and cooking for yourself is your best bet.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    It's hardly rocket science.

    If I, as an amateur, can easily and quickly work out the calories in food that I prepare, often in bulk, I see no reason why restaurants should not be compelled to do likewise.

    And if the menu ends up looking too scary calorie wise, and people are put off ordering food? Well maybe that restaurant needs to re-examine its policy on ingredients and portion sizes.

    If every restaurant had to do it, I bet it would soon become a real selling point among people who care for their health.. "See what amazing food we can put before you for 600 calories"
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    I also don't think it would be that big of a burden for small business owners. The ingredients are all labeled with nutri data, just have a week where everytime someone makes a dish have them measure out the quantities and log it! I create every recipe i make and save it to my recipes on this site, it takes an extra 5 minutes each time i prepare a new meal.
    You know they can't just use an online tool like MFP, right? OMG. And this would open them up to liability if the info was wrong. I don't think you understand the ramifications.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
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    I wish they did. I bet I would be surprised sometimes.
    I think it would be hard for them, though, and it wouldn't be very exact for restaurants where different people are making things...
  • 0RESET0
    0RESET0 Posts: 128
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    I asked a grocery store if they had nutritional info for some specialty burgers they had in the meat case. They looked at me like I was nutz. The butcher said "well, it's 80/20". I could see the cheese they mixed into it. I asked what else was in it and they listed off several things. I listened to the ones I knew would add calories and left it at that. I also got some stuffed fish items and was surprised to find that other grocery stores had similar items and were in the database. I used those entries when I ate the fish.

    I have the MFP app on my phone and really wish restaurants would add bar codes to the menu so I could scan my choice to have it entered. Much faster than asking for nutritional info and other customers wouldn't get the "sticker shock" if they didn't want to.
  • Sd0510
    Sd0510 Posts: 295 Member
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    I have seen a lot of them, but when they make their food fresh, it's hard to provide accurate nutitrional facts for EVERY meal made since size of item, amount of seasoning, and chef differs daily.
  • unmitigatedbadassery
    unmitigatedbadassery Posts: 653 Member
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    If you have the genuine need to know then the burden is on you to investigate it. The information IS out there if you apply effort. I have NEVER had an issue with having dinner at a restaurant only to find out later that I had been hornswaggled into eating 800 calories more than I thought. I applied logic and common sense when placing my order.

    If you're a vegetarian/vegan - ask about related ingredients/procedures
    If you're on a low cholesterol diet - don't order the fried chicken
    If you're low carb - don't get fries or bread
    If you're low calorie - pass on the dessert and maybe order grilled chicken
    If you're low sodium - ask if they have any low sodium options, if not go somewhere else or improvise

    It really doesn't need to be so complicated
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    If it's for calorie restrictions or specific dietary needs I feel like a little common sense goes a long way on this. Example: if I'm trying to lose weight I know that the double bacon cheddar burger isn't the way to go - I don't need nutritional data to convince me.
    Sounds so simple doesn't it, but the reality is that cooking methods and choice of ingredients make a HUGE difference to the calorie content of a meal.

    I can put together a double bacon cheddar burger for under 500 calories, but in a restaurant it could easily be 2,000. How can you tell? Often you cannot.

    Information is power, as a consumer in a recession, I demand information - and companies who deny me this are going to lose out on a growing market share.

    EDITED TO ADD I've literally worked my *kitten* off over the last eleven months to carve the body I have now out of the obese blob that I used to be, and I'm VERY keen to support restaurants who are prepared to make it easier for me to keep it.
  • courtclerkkris
    courtclerkkris Posts: 173 Member
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    I guess my answer is a multiple part opinion. Do I think they "Should"--NO! Do I appreciate the ones that do--ABSOLUTELY. It really would be a burden on a mom and pop shop to HAVE to provide me with the nutritional stats on their menu items. We are all big people and if we care what the stats are on the food then we probably have the ability to kind of know how many calories it "might" contain. Yeah I know a lot of places put hidden stuff in their items to make them taste tastier but still I think WE need to put some accountability on ourselves and the decisions we choose to make. If we don't like that they won't/don't provide the stats...you know what, we don't have to eat there! Just my opinion.

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