Beware your local restaurant!

 

From the WSJ Health Journal...

Studies have shown that even dietitians often underestimate how many calories dishes contain, and no wonder. Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken packs 1,290 calories. Pizzeria Uno's Individual Chicago Classic (serves one) has 2,310. Who could eat another bite after an appetizer like T.G.I. Friday's Jack Daniel's Sampler at 2,330?

Is it a wonder we're all at this site?

 

That is scary, but consider how big their portion sizes must be. Who could eat even half the meal? Of course, with this number of frighteningly high calories in one meal, even eating just half would be a problem.

Restaurants (unless attached to a health spa) are not responsible for keeping us the customers slim and healthy.    They're in business to turn a profit providing tasty good-value meals that people want to eat.   Fat, salt and sugar make meals super-tasty and big portions of fries are dirt-cheap but make the plate look full.  So any catered meal is automatically going to be heavy on the calories.   It's only a problem if you eat out too often and don't understand that a big greasy pizza or fried food in a sugary/whisky sauce is going to make you fat.  Don't blame restaurants. 

I hold no grudge against restaurants.  As you guys said, it is their business to put out tasty food for whoever wants it.  It is your choice whether you go and eat it or not.  The burden is completely on you.  I can't stand people who fault restaurants and fast food chains for making them fat.  They make the conscious decision to go to these places yet have the nerve to blame others for their bad decisions.  It really is appauling.  However, I do believe that the restaurant has the responsibility to at least inform the customer as to the nutritional information of their food.  In NY, the calorie information must be posted larger than the price.  I went to an Applebees in the city and was literally sickened by what I saw on the menu.  You have NO IDEA how many calories are in foods they have, even the healthier options.  But again, it is the conscious decision of the customer to go out and eat this food so there is no reason to blame restaurants.  They can make whatever food they want to make.  No one is forcing it down your throat.

Original Post by gi-jane:

Restaurants (unless attached to a health spa) are not responsible for keeping us the customers slim and healthy.    They're in business to turn a profit providing tasty good-value meals that people want to eat.   Fat, salt and sugar make meals super-tasty and big portions of fries are dirt-cheap but make the plate look full.  So any catered meal is automatically going to be heavy on the calories.   It's only a problem if you eat out too often and don't understand that a big greasy pizza or fried food in a sugary/whisky sauce is going to make you fat.  Don't blame restaurants. 

My exact feelings.

I'm totally against the recent mandate in NY to display caloric values next to menu items. It's already easy enough to get online or pick up a brochure to look up calories if you're concerned about them so much. I think rules like that will spur more eating disorders and cause businesses to lose money, which isn't needed in this economy. People need to take some personal responsibility and stop blaming their weight problems on everyone else.

Original Post by gi-jane:

Don't blame restaurants. 

What of a car manufacturer who built a car that was really cool, really fast, but had the slight disadvantage of exploding after an undisclosed amount of time?  And what of the same car manufacturer who didn't actually tell anyone that their really cool, really fast car had this 'side-effect'?  I mean, just because a car explodes, doesn't mean that the driver will die.  At least not immediately.

Surely the customer should be responsible for not buying a car from this manufacturer.  But would you really say that this car manufacturer should be allowed to continue making this car without as much as informing the world of its effects?  Would you really say that this manufacturer should even be allowed to put such a car on the market.

If you were a true libertarian, then you would say that "let the customer beware" is the last word.  I guess that's why I'm not a die-hard libertarian, nor do I believe that the corporate world should be allowed to do anything it wants without, at a minimum, informing the population of any hazards associated with its products.

So restaurants are just businesses turning a profit are they?  Great, then they should be held as accountable as other businesses to announce all risks associated with their product.  That way, you see, I can truly make an informed choice.

Cheers.

Original Post by unfilledspace:

Original Post by gi-jane:

Restaurants (unless attached to a health spa) are not responsible for keeping us the customers slim and healthy.    They're in business to turn a profit providing tasty good-value meals that people want to eat.   Fat, salt and sugar make meals super-tasty and big portions of fries are dirt-cheap but make the plate look full.  So any catered meal is automatically going to be heavy on the calories.   It's only a problem if you eat out too often and don't understand that a big greasy pizza or fried food in a sugary/whisky sauce is going to make you fat.  Don't blame restaurants. 

My exact feelings.

I'm totally against the recent mandate in NY to display caloric values next to menu items. It's already easy enough to get online or pick up a brochure to look up calories if you're concerned about them so much. I think rules like that will spur more eating disorders and cause businesses to lose money, which isn't needed in this economy. People need to take some personal responsibility and stop blaming their weight problems on everyone else.

I have to respectfully disagree...I think it's not only a good idea to display the calorie count, but important for the unknowing consumer. Most diners have no idea what goes into restaurant dishes and have a right to know what they are paying for.

You wouldn't wanna buy a car if you didn't know what kind of engine or options you were getting. I think the entire US should adopt this policy, just as we have labels on the food we buy in our local grocery store, so should we have "labels" on the food we buy in our local restaurant.

 

some hazards aren't "forseen" as you say.  once people started realizing that obesity was becoming an issue, many retaurants took it upon themselves to create healthier choices... even McDonalds (which I HATE to defend here!!!) and many of them display their nutritional value in the menu- so realistically, your claim to blame restaurants is bogus. 

You can choose healthier things... and if you feel like splurging once in awhile and having a 9,000 calorie entre, you can do that, too.  You should enjoy your freedom- not be pissed the government doesn't limit you more.

I think a lot of the "problem" of restaurant food really lies in the fact that a lot of people never really cook at home.  I know people who only eat at restaurants, claiming that it's too time consuming to prepare their own healthy meals.  I like fatty, sugary restaurant foods, because I only eat out maybe once or twice a month.  I consider restaurant food a treat, which is what I think it should be.  I bring my lunch to work every day and make dinner when I get home.  There isn't really anything wrong with restaurant food if, like in everything else in life, people would practice a little moderation.

Original Post by unfilledspace:

It's already easy enough to get online or pick up a brochure to look up calories if you're concerned about them so much. 

Completely false.  Sit-down chains like Applebees refuse to provide this information.  My solution?  I make it my personal responsibility to not eat there.

And, to add to this, many places claim to have "healthy" items and the items are just as bad as anything else - for instance, Jamba Juice smoothies with 1200 calories and 1100 calories vegetarian Chipotle burritos (which, last I checked, took their nutr. info OFF their website).

Original Post by unfilledspace:

Original Post by gi-jane:

Restaurants (unless attached to a health spa) are not responsible for keeping us the customers slim and healthy.    They're in business to turn a profit providing tasty good-value meals that people want to eat.   Fat, salt and sugar make meals super-tasty and big portions of fries are dirt-cheap but make the plate look full.  So any catered meal is automatically going to be heavy on the calories.   It's only a problem if you eat out too often and don't understand that a big greasy pizza or fried food in a sugary/whisky sauce is going to make you fat.  Don't blame restaurants. 

My exact feelings.

I'm totally against the recent mandate in NY to display caloric values next to menu items. It's already easy enough to get online or pick up a brochure to look up calories if you're concerned about them so much. I think rules like that will spur more eating disorders and cause businesses to lose money, which isn't needed in this economy. People need to take some personal responsibility and stop blaming their weight problems on everyone else.

 By this logic, cigarette companies should have no responsibility to post a warning about their product on the actual package because it is easy to go online and find out how bad cigarettes are for you.  Plus, less cigarette sales would hurt the economy.  That is essentially the equivalent to the argument you provided.  I can't see it spuring too many eating disorders.  It is one thing to give up fatty restaurant food and quite another thing to want to give up food altogether.  I don't see the problem with people knowing exactly what they are eating.  People should know exactly what they are getting.  Like someone said, would you buy a car that you didn't know the specifications of?  There is nothing wrong with being honest with people. 

i agree that nutritional information should be public and accessible (though i recognize that it presents a challenge for restaurants that use fresh, in-season ingredients).  but i don't think for a minute that restaurants have any responsibility whatsoever for our health. 

i go out to eat about twice a month.  when i do, i don't worry about calories and fat; i worry about choosing something that's delicious and that i can't or won't make at home.  obviously my situation is very different from that of someone who eats out five or six times a week. 

if we're going to make restaurants responsible for our nutrition, we'll have to ask them to monitor how often we eat out.  do you really want a quota system?  you want the maitre d' to stop you at the door and say, "I'm sorry. you've eaten out three times this week already.  Go home and eat a broiled chicken breast"?

the car analogy doesn't hold up.  when you buy a car, you're making a long term commitment to drive it, probably for several years.  when you go to a restaurant, you're not signing on to eat there for the next five years.

Original Post by unfilledspace:

People need to take some personal responsibility and stop blaming their weight problems on everyone else.

Personal responsibility implies that we can make informed decisions.  Laws requiring that packages in grocery stores include nutrition information is relatively new.  Before the government stepped in and forced the issue, no one could make an informed decision, and so, no one could take personal responsibility, and sites like this could not exist.

Do you think that food manufacturers were happy and obliging to put nutrition information on their packaging?  I certainly don't.  It's expensive and, much more importantly, it interferes with their slick packaging.

Original Post by beckabooey:

Original Post by unfilledspace:

It's already easy enough to get online or pick up a brochure to look up calories if you're concerned about them so much. 

Completely false.  Sit-down chains like Applebees refuse to provide this information.  My solution?  I make it my personal responsibility to not eat there.

yep, and I also started to email them to tell them I decided NOT to go to their restaurant because of it

Applebees (geez, why do I keep defending the jerks?!?!) does however, have a weight watchers section to their menu that provides nutritional value.  No, it doesn't go into the extent of telling you all of the info- but it does give calories, grams of fat and carbs....  they also offer some pretty healthy choices, believe it or not.  I eat there maybe once a month, if that.

Original Post by unfilledspace:

 I think rules like that will spur more eating disorders...

So having nutrition information will spur eating disorders?  Really?

I guess that must mean that this site causes untold problems to its users.

I think it is a shame that Americans shop a menu looking for the biggest bang for their buck, rather than the best thing for their body.  It is also a shame to see the amount of food that goes to waste because people simply can not (and should not) eat an entire portion at a restaurant. I think making restaurants display their nutritional information is essentially the same rule that the FDA has making all food product display their nutrition information...what is the difference? In my opinion, it is a governments job to take care of its citizens and our job to take care of one another! We have a horrible problem with obesity, and if this is a way to combat it and make the general population more healthy, then its a great idea. It is sad to see so many people suffer from severe obesity. I know, much of it is about personal decisions, but it is also about supporting one another.

I would love to see calorie content on a menu. I would probably eat more often at a restaurant that had it. FYI, Seattle is implementing a simliar law in the upcoming year for chain restaurants, however it will require more than just calories, also grams of fat, protein and carbs! Awesome.

Oddly appropriate that this article was juse posted on Yahoo

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/11230 /americas-bestand-worstrestaurants/

Good follow-up dakatz.  I've never been to a chick-fil-a.  Might be worth giving them a try.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

the car analogy doesn't hold up.  when you buy a car, you're making a long term commitment to drive it, probably for several years.

When I eat, I'm making a long term commitment to live, probably for a lifetime.