Do you think all restaurants should be required to provide n

Destinie589

I think in today's society (obesity on the rise) it would be very helpful to have the info on the menu. I think there should be some sort of incentive for the restaurant as well so they would be motivated to add nutritional info to their menus.

Jd1360

Yes. Absolutely. I hate guessing on stuff like that. I think ALL restaurants should. Even non-chain places.

_HeathBar_

I don't think places should be REQUIRED to have it. It would be a really big burden to small restaurant owners that just want to serve good food. However, I wish all places did provide it. I tend to avoid eating out where they don't have nutrition information available or a "healthy" section on their menu with calories posted for those meals.

sarah307

YES! they should!

i havent read the other posts to see if this was already mentioned but I think even the ones that have nutritional information now are very incorrect. I've read somewhere that they really underestimate their calorie contents. but idk for sure!

Bentley2718

Although some places that do counts, the calorie counts are a strong argument against eating at that location (coffee club, muffin break, etc)

Bingo, most U.S. chains do not want you to know that the plate of food is like two days worth of calories for most people.

Arabian♥Breeze

I agree with you i think they should too. I try to avoid the places that dont have the info because im sure its so high in sodium fat and calories that they are ashamed to provide that info lol

AnninStPaul

No, that is an unnecessary burden to put on small business owners.

AGREED! Chains yes, but give small businesses a break!

That said...my company's cafeteria is run by a large company, and doesn't provide nutrition information. Probably because everything contains 1000mg of salt.

afigueroa_pr

Three sources I use to determine caloric intake from restaurants.
1) Their website - a lot of them already have their calories on it.
2) MFP - example this week I wanted to determine Cracker Barrel's calorie intake but they have nothing on their website. Suprisingly MFP has it clear as day. Don't know how is that possible, but I will take it.
3) Calorie Counter and Calorie King - whatever MFP or their website don't have, it is usually here. After this safety net, I usually don't eat on that place if I cannot find their calories.

infamousmk

Do you all eat out so often that this matters? When I go out for a meal, I make reasonable choices based on common sense and get back on track with logging at my next meal.

thepanttherlady

I absolutely think this should be made mandatory. Cooking at home isn't always an option so if you want my business, provide me with the tools to make a more educated choice.

And for those idiots that are sue happy because no one told them their hot coffee was hot and they burned their thighs by putting the cup between their legs while driving, put a disclaimer on the menu that says the calorie/nutritional value may vary -/+ X%.

Just my two cents.

MissBettyBoop2

NO. I don't think the government should mandate any resturant to list the calories in their food.

However if they want to do it voluntarily, that would be wonderful!

But to have the government step in and require restaurants comply with a law, NO.

It's not the role of government to do these sorts of things...

formersec

A "no" vote, simply because we have enough government regulation now. Time to get government out of our lives.

Kasya007

Are you really saying you that it's too much work and money to count calories? Do you see where you are?

If I can do it with a phone app I'm sure a business that's in the business of providing food can figure it out. Other companies have. I'm not saying it has to be 100% accurate, nothing ever is. I'd just like a reliable, ball park figure. That is not an impossibility for any business, no matter how small.

But you CAN'T do it yourself if you own a business. You must have a lab analyze everything, and that costs A LOT.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility? As dieters and/or health conscious folk, we should ALL be able to tell the difference between good & bad, or a 100 calorie portion vs 300 calorie portion. If you've watched your weight for long enough, it just becomes second nature.

Do you know what I do when I go to a restaurant? I just eat in moderation and not worry about what I've eaten. They make their dishes a specific way, I'm not about to go and ask them to change it because I'm dieting. If I'm feeling particularly anal, I then go home and try to break it down by each ingredient, all the way to the oil it could be cooked in, and track it, (right or wrong it's an estimate).

I don't expect the business to do a darned thing, except offer delicious food & great service. They didn't put you on a diet, YOU did.

killagb

Guess what, these places are not forcing you to eat there. If getting some totally inaccurate estimate of the food helps you sleep at night, then I would guess you should go to the places that offer that, otherwise just assume the normal...cream sauces and butter = bad.

goron59

I don't think so. It's not the responsibility of the restauranteur to quantify the food. That's my job. If an establishment wants to attract people who like to count, then go for it. Could be a USP for them.

Also, who's going to mandate it? Maybe they will in your country, but you're not going to stay where you are forever, are you?

fuzzimama

Do you all eat out so often that this matters? When I go out for a meal, I make reasonable choices based on common sense and get back on track with logging at my next meal.

Me too. We get the impression (from media etc.) that Americans eat out a LOT! But I have a number of American friends IRL who live in NZ, and I know that is not true for them or their families, so I think the truth is probably in between. Some people eat out a lot, others not so much. It think NZ is hard on the heels of the USA re obesity statistics anyway, so we're probably much the same here.

Its interesting to me that so many are calling for chain food restaurants to list their calories and be accountable, but isn't the rise of the chain food culture a key reason why we are in the shape (or lack of it) that we find ourselves in?

LizzyP39

I think they should, but I don't think it should be a requirement. I work in a restaurant and we offer them but I've only had about three people ask me for one.

scribe313

I have begun to look online for information before I go out to eat. Most of the time I know what I am going to eat before I get to the resaturant. I believe that most people mis-count what they are eating, believing they are eating less calories than they really are. There should be a small typed sheet of menu items, calories, and fat that can be handed out for patrons who ask for one. It does not have to be expensive. Most business have a computer and printer . Olga's.com has the type of menu that I am talking about. Even the smallest mom and pop operation could swing there nutritional menu

Maggie_Pie1

I don't think it should be required.

For one, it puts a big burden on small mom&pop type of restaurants that are probably barely able to survive this economy as it is without having to pay for expensive testing for nutritional info.

Second, some restaurants have different menus, 'specials', every night. They couldn't possibly provide nurtritional info or be able to let chefs create new dishes for 'specials' that aren't typically on the menu.

third, going to a restaurant is not mandatory, it is a choice. Everyone does need to eat, so having nutritional info in grocery stores makes sense. Eating is a necessity. Restaurant eating is not. You have the choice to go, or not go, out to eat. If you opt to go to Restaurant A instead of restaurant B because Restaurant A provides the info, then that is your right. But I think the restaurant has a right to opt to not provide the info.


sure, it makes it convenient for those of us counting calories and yes, I do like to be able to get that information. But typically the only restuarants that provide it are the large chains. When I go out to eat, I try to go to one-of-a-kind restaurants, mom and pop local places, and for them to have to provide this info would be burdensome and take away some of what makes the restuarant special, IMO.

cPT_Helice

Absolutely not! Would I like it if they all did? Heck yeah. But should they be required to?? No. What right do we have (or does the government have) to tell a private business that it has to post that? This is a capitalist society. If people don't like it that a restaurant doesn't post it, they won't go there and then the restaurant may think twice. But, we have no business requiring it.