Calories on menus everywhere
candythorns
Posts: 246 Member
In Ontario they made it mandatory for all restaurants with 20 locations+ to display calories. Im in heaven! Anywhere else doing this.
13
Replies
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Many restaurants in Los Angeles include calorie information on their menus or website but unfortunately, it's not mandatory.0
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U.S.
Some states, localities, and large restaurant chains were already doing their own forms of menu labeling, but this information was not consistent across the areas where it was implemented.
Calorie information will now be required on menus and menu boards in chain restaurants (and other places selling restaurant-type food) and on certain vending machines. This new calorie labeling will be consistent nationwide and will provide easy-to-understand nutrition information in a direct and accessible manner.
You’ll see calorie labeling on restaurant menus and menu boards by May 5, 2017. In most cases, you’ll also see calorie labeling for packaged foods sold in vending machines by December 1, 2016. However, there are certain food products sold from glass-front vending machines that may not have calorie labeling until July 26, 2018.
Where You’ll Find It
At Restaurants:
Calorie labeling is required for restaurants and similar retail food establishments that are part of a chain of 20 or more locations.
For standard menu items, calories will be listed clearly and prominently on menus and menu boards, next to the name or price of the food or beverage. For self-service foods, such as served from buffets and salad bars, calories will be shown on signs that are near the foods. Calories are not required to be listed for condiments, daily specials, custom orders, or temporary/seasonal menu items.
On Vending Machines:
Calorie labeling is required for vending machine operators who own or operate 20 or more vending machines.
Calories will be shown on a sign (such as on a small placard, sticker, or poster) or on electronic or digital displays near the food item or selection button on vending machines and “bulk” vending machines (for example, gumball machines and mixed nut machines), unless calories are already visible on the actual food packages before purchase.4 -
It can also be a bit hard to use effectively. i.e. Denny's menus give calories in a range i.e. Pancake breakfast at 870-1200. The real count depends on whether you eat bacon or sausage, whether you eat the hashbrowns or have fruit, how much butter and how much syrup you put on and sometimes on whether the chef used a lot of oil or bacon grease to fry the eggs.
Or if a menu says the fish is 6 oz. but the actual piece size can vary by a couple of ounces. Same with the fries. Sometimes you get 8 pieces, sometimes you get 15. It depends on how generous the cook is feeling.
Bottom line, they will give you an idea of what the lower calorie choices are before you order, but you will still have to figure out how much you actually ate.8 -
The menus of chain restaurants here in Australia often have calories, either on the menu or found online. But the menus of individual restaurants, pubs, etc. won't likely have the calories.
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They do that where I live too. It's very helpful. Unfortunately I often prefer non-chain restaurants so they don't have to provide calorie info.1
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my fiance lives in ontario and called me when he was out eating dinner with his sons to tell me that, when he saw it!
he was like ' youd be in calorie counting heaven!' LOLOLOL2 -
Ironically, those are usually not the best places to eat.3
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crzycatlady1 wrote: »
Given a choice between a burger joint with more than 20 locations, and the mom & pop burger joint, I prefer the smaller guys as I think the food is tastier. Probably more calories as well. I think that is all he meant.3 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »
Yup! We had a meatlover's pizza from one of 'those places' last night. It was heavenly and fit my calorie allotment and macros for the day beautifully.
I'm in Ontario, too, and I think it's a good step forward. As someone who counts calories, I was always able to find out the nutritional profiles of most chain food things online. But for someone who may not be aware, just having the info more in-your-face will hopefully help them realize the caloric cost that comes with a lot of the items on the menu. If you can make it fit, fine. But if not, there are always different choices you can make. 0 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »
Fair question. We dine out infrequently, and when we do we make it a point to go to local places, not chains. For others who eat in restaurants more often, it is obviously useful.0 -
Here is a site where you can send an email to your Provincial government reps requesting similar for your Province. Just sent one to the BC folks.
http://www.menutruth.ca/index.php0 -
Only one place I know of doing it in the uk
Weatherspoons1 -
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Tacklewasher wrote: »crzycatlady1 wrote: »
Given a choice between a burger joint with more than 20 locations, and the mom & pop burger joint, I prefer the smaller guys as I think the food is tastier. Probably more calories as well. I think that is all he meant.
Ya, there's no comparison in taste for the burgers I get from local restaurants vs chains like McDonalds or BK. I haven't bought burgers from them in 10 years but had a bite of my OH's last year because I wanted to refresh my memory due to a thread here.1 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »crzycatlady1 wrote: »
Given a choice between a burger joint with more than 20 locations, and the mom & pop burger joint, I prefer the smaller guys as I think the food is tastier. Probably more calories as well. I think that is all he meant.
I am the opposite. I have had way too many experiences of inedible to food poisoning causing meals at small restaurants. Not saying I have never had issues at chains, but issues with the food are far rarer for me at them.1 -
That is cool, but I want my macros.1
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if individual business want to do it, then fine. However, they should not be forced by the state to do it...its not as if business is not regulated enough already...4
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candythorns wrote: »In Ontario they made it mandatory for all restaurants with 20 locations+ to display calories. Im in heaven! Anywhere else doing this.
Not everywhere but there are places that do. I think it SHOULD be mandatory! Only prob is.. I dont really eat out cause my mind gets the better of me and I start to imagine the workers picking their noses or scratching their crotches.. or not washing after wiping... sweating over the stove.. body juices in my meal.. ughhhh0 -
candythorns wrote: »In Ontario they made it mandatory for all restaurants with 20 locations+ to display calories. Im in heaven! Anywhere else doing this.
Not everywhere but there are places that do. I think it SHOULD be mandatory! Only prob is.. I dont really eat out cause my mind gets the better of me and I start to imagine the workers picking their noses or scratching their crotches.. or not washing after wiping... sweating over the stove.. body juices in my meal.. ughhhh
or just vote with your wallet and don't go to places that choose not to put them on the menu or publish them on their websites.
I never understood this mindset that the government should mandate everything that private business should do ...
People also need to take a little responsibility for their own choices. If you get Fettuccine Alfredo and linguine that that is going to be extremely calorie dense; however, if you get grilled chicken and roasted vegetables that will be less calorie dense; why is the restaurants fault that people don't care to make that connection?4 -
Be careful!!! Those calories aren't always accurate. Sometimes they're less but sometimes they're several hundred higher than what's listed. I would use extreme caution if you dine out frequently.0
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missteena88 wrote: »Be careful!!! Those calories aren't always accurate. Sometimes they're less but sometimes they're several hundred higher than what's listed. I would use extreme caution if you dine out frequently.
All the times I have seen fast food restaurants like McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King have food independently tested they have always come in very close. My guess is because their product is very standardized to keep cost down since they run on a small margin. Sit down restaurant chains, on the other hand, do far worse, probably because the cooks have much more freedom in how they prepare food in sit down restaurant chains. Good think McDonald's and the rest are far better in Canada, at least my experience it their food tastes much better than it does when I am down in the USA.2 -
CafeRacer808 wrote: »Many restaurants in Los Angeles include calorie information on their menus or website but unfortunately, it's not mandatory.
Yeah, most chains in Chicago have had it for some time, from what I've noticed. It's not mandatory, so some don't.0 -
Ready2Rock206 wrote: »They do that where I live too. It's very helpful. Unfortunately I often prefer non-chain restaurants so they don't have to provide calorie info.
Yeah -- I find it useful if I want to buy a quick lunch out/take to my desk. My more caloric dinners out aren't at chains so ah well, I guess or estimate or just quick add a reasonable seeming number.0 -
was so excited when I saw this finally started last week in Ontario!!
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however, if you get grilled chicken and roasted vegetables that will be less calorie dense; why is the restaurants fault that people don't care to make that connection?
So you, as a customer, can tell how much oil was used to roast those vegetables? And how much oil/butter is on that grilled chicken? Sure, it's a lower calorie choice than the fettucini alfredo - but it may still be a 1000 calorie plate. Restaurants add a *lot* of hidden calories that are not obvious to the consumer. Requiring them to 'fess up to that is a good thing. Basically, it's a "truth in advertizing" argument.5 -
rileysowner wrote: »missteena88 wrote: »Be careful!!! Those calories aren't always accurate. Sometimes they're less but sometimes they're several hundred higher than what's listed. I would use extreme caution if you dine out frequently.
All the times I have seen fast food restaurants like McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King have food independently tested they have always come in very close. My guess is because their product is very standardized to keep cost down since they run on a small margin. Sit down restaurant chains, on the other hand, do far worse, probably because the cooks have much more freedom in how they prepare food in sit down restaurant chains. Good think McDonald's and the rest are far better in Canada, at least my experience it their food tastes much better than it does when I am down in the USA.
This is exactly right. I just know a lot of sit down restaurants where they have "under 600" menus or what have you. And since sit down restaurants tend to be the most miscalculated, it could really throw someone off if they indulge too often.1 -
SusanMFindlay wrote: »however, if you get grilled chicken and roasted vegetables that will be less calorie dense; why is the restaurants fault that people don't care to make that connection?
So you, as a customer, can tell how much oil was used to roast those vegetables? And how much oil/butter is on that grilled chicken? Sure, it's a lower calorie choice than the fettucini alfredo - but it may still be a 1000 calorie plate. Restaurants add a *lot* of hidden calories that are not obvious to the consumer. Requiring them to 'fess up to that is a good thing. Basically, it's a "truth in advertizing" argument.
Never said that..I just know what is going to be a heavy meal vs a light one. Do you really think adding the calorie count is going to make every meal magically equal what the calorie count is?0 -
I love it! I noticed though that the Tim Hortons soup give calories for 12 ounces, but the small is 10 ounces. I don't know what the large is.1
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SusanMFindlay wrote: »however, if you get grilled chicken and roasted vegetables that will be less calorie dense; why is the restaurants fault that people don't care to make that connection?
So you, as a customer, can tell how much oil was used to roast those vegetables? And how much oil/butter is on that grilled chicken? Sure, it's a lower calorie choice than the fettucini alfredo - but it may still be a 1000 calorie plate. Restaurants add a *lot* of hidden calories that are not obvious to the consumer. Requiring them to 'fess up to that is a good thing. Basically, it's a "truth in advertizing" argument.
Never said that..I just know what is going to be a heavy meal vs a light one. Do you really think adding the calorie count is going to make every meal magically equal what the calorie count is?
No, but it'll put it much closer to the right ballpark. And, for example, the requirement to publish nutritional information has shown me that there are zero reasonable choices for me at a particular chain that my kids like - even though some of the salads sound fine from the menu descriptions.2
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