Restaurant Nutritional Information

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FitnessGeek
FitnessGeek Posts: 487
in Food and Nutrition
I have been told to pick a restaurant for a family outing and I am trying to pick a place that will be calorie-friendly. I've gone out to eat since I have been at MFP but usually I always go for sushi because it's low calorie and pretty much the same everywhere. This time the sushi isn't an option because it's closed for lunch.

So, here's my question. I see that Calorie King/Calorie Count/Spark and a few other websites have nutritional information posted for different chain restaurants, but that the restaurants don't post the information themselves. So how do Calorie King and these other websites get the nutritional information for these dishes? Are people just guessing? Do they do their own test?

I just want to know if I can trust these numbers.

...and on a side note, restaurants should really be forced to publish this information, especially the chains. I hate mystery calories!

Replies

  • FitnessGeek
    FitnessGeek Posts: 487
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    I have been told to pick a restaurant for a family outing and I am trying to pick a place that will be calorie-friendly. I've gone out to eat since I have been at MFP but usually I always go for sushi because it's low calorie and pretty much the same everywhere. This time the sushi isn't an option because it's closed for lunch.

    So, here's my question. I see that Calorie King/Calorie Count/Spark and a few other websites have nutritional information posted for different chain restaurants, but that the restaurants don't post the information themselves. So how do Calorie King and these other websites get the nutritional information for these dishes? Are people just guessing? Do they do their own test?

    I just want to know if I can trust these numbers.

    ...and on a side note, restaurants should really be forced to publish this information, especially the chains. I hate mystery calories!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    every restaurant can prepare its menu anyway it wants as far as oils, etc

    so if calorie king hasnt gotten the info directly from the restaurant they are probably estimating

    if you have picked the restuarant, get their menu and call and ask how they prepare the dish you want as far as oils, etc the oils have the cals.,..you can estimate about anything else

    what I would do is just eat sensibly and not worry about a rare occasion

    get sweaty a few more times and relax at the restaurant
  • LawBug17
    LawBug17 Posts: 26
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    chili's has a great guiltless grill menu, and it has all of its nutrition facts online. a lot of restaurants do post information on line, so sometimes i check and figure out what i will eat before i go in order to keep myself in check.
  • Marla64
    Marla64 Posts: 23,120 Member
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    Echoing Dave-- yes, a restaurant should be able to do as it wishes with their business-- menu, ingredients, et cetera.

    Here in the east coast, New York City restaurants were FORCED to remove all trans fat from their kitchens by a certain date last year and replace it with "healthier" oils or face fines. Apparently it is now the responsibility of all restaurants to make sure their customers are not eating things that are "bad" for them. PUHLEEEEZE!!!!!

    Uh, excuse me-- if it's my business and I want to sell trans fat, and you want to buy and eat trans fat, is it any business of the government?

    Arrgghhh-- okay, don't get me started-- back to work-- :grumble:
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
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    Let's just face it, MOST if not all restaurants are not healthy choices. They may say they have healthy options but most healthy options still pack 600 or more calories per meal.

    I don't know how large your family outing is but maybe you should consider bbqing at home or doing a picnic etc. Or, just enjoy the day and give make sure to get your workout in and do your best.

    I agree with Marla to a point. It is NOT the responsibility of the restaurants to make healthy choices for us it is OUR responsibility to watch out for ourselves. However, in the case of trans fats, cottonseed, soybean oil (yea, not good for you) if SCIENCE has produced something that is found to be harmful to our bodies I think it should be removed from our food. But trans fat isn't the first and it won't be the last of the man made problems we create in our food system.....another post :wink:
  • jowily
    jowily Posts: 189 Member
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    I too agree that restaurants should not be forced to put out nutrition info...it would be nice if they would, but they open themselves to lawsuits...I can guarantee you that even though mcdonalds puts out nutrition information it's not exact site to site...they may put a little more ketchup on the burger, or the number of fries in a package is more than the weighted amount in a lab. Chefs in restaurants aren't exact on their portion size or amount (they taste the food and that add if needed...each day and each time they make a dish it is unique). We can't expect to be exact on those calories...as they are not mass produced in equal quantities like packaged foods. Plus the testing costs a lot of money...and they often have specials or change things up - all costs that would be passed to the consumer.

    I don't know how calorie king gets their info...but I do use it. And I look for items that closely represent the item from restaurants that do put out nutrition info - but again, if I have a steak at a restaurant that says how many calories or fat is in the steak, and they do the nutrition at med rare and I have it well done (I am MR actually) then more of the fat has been cooked out of it - and potatoes are not the exact size, etc...it's all relative and directional...not exact.

    But having said that - I wish they would put out their nutrition info! Just not be forced to by law.
  • FitnessGeek
    FitnessGeek Posts: 487
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    Hehe, settle-down people. I don't think restaurants have any responsibility to us for making health decisions. I was just asking how to make better decisions for myself when I go out. I work in a restaurant, and I still think that chains should be forced to post their information and that the customer should obviously know that it will change slightly depending on the cook and on the day.

    If eating-in was an option, I would do it...as I do every single day. I was just mostly interested in how these sites get the info and whether or not I could trust it.

    TY for all the responses, but we're getting off top-topic lol.
  • keiko
    keiko Posts: 2,919 Member
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    Some chains do post nutri info on their websites. I have preplanned my eating at Olive Garden. And I have heard that on the Red Robin site you can make changes, print it off and they will cook your food to the changes you made.
  • kendallalissa
    kendallalissa Posts: 249
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    Most of the ones I frequent, aside from small locally owned ones, have it on their actual websites. Honestly, I've been skipping the restaraunts that don't have this info on their websites. They've lost my business!
  • FitnessGeek
    FitnessGeek Posts: 487
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    Some chains do post nutri info on their websites. I have preplanned my eating at Olive Garden. And I have heard that on the Red Robin site you can make changes, print it off and they will cook your food to the changes you made.

    Thanks for the idea about the Red Robin, I am going to check that out!:bigsmile:
    Most of the ones I frequent, aside from small locally owned ones, have it on their actual websites. Honestly, I've been skipping the restaraunts that don't have this info on their websites. They've lost my business!
    I think that I agree with you there! I thought that Applebees might be a good choice and I looked up their nutritional information on their website. Check it out: "We do not provide nutritional information on other Applebee's® items, except where required by law."
    Burns me a bit that this means that they obviously have the nutritional information and they choose not to share it :mad: ...and we're talking one of the largest restaurant chains in America (if not the largest).

    Anyways, I chose a restaurant for us called Savories. I figured it would be the way to go even if it didn't have the nutritional information because it's local and organic. I got an Ahi tuna sandwich. I asked them to please grill the tuna and not to use oil, put the aioli and tapenade on the side, and said no to the homemade potato chips that come with every lunch.
    They were more than happy to oblige...which was great cuz I always get that When Harry Met Sally feeling when I'm being that picky!
    I typed everything I ate into a recipe calculator and I got out of the restaurant only consuming 548 calories. :drinker:

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