I don't think the restaurant legislation will make people suddenly care about their health.  People who are frequently eating fast food will probably continue.

It will be very helpful for people who do care, but want to enjoy eating out every once in a while.  Sometimes you think you are making a good choice at a restaurant, but now you will know.

Absolutely Brilliant news. If only the UK would implement the same. So many people who start on a diet giive up because they don't feel that they can socialise normally.

Good call!  Portion sizes have gotten out of control.  Maybe people will become more aware of the shear quantity of food (and therefore calories) they're eating.

I live in an area where restaurants are posting their calorie counts already (we are right outside of NYC), and it has already changed my behavior. 

I went into a dunkin donuts for a cup of coffee and thought I'd get a lo fat Blueberry muffin - UNTIL I saw that it had something like 460 CALORIES!!!!

ok, I don't need a snack that is equivalent to a wole lunch!!

I resent the legislation as an unwarranted government intrusion into business in this country.  Anyone with half a brain already knows what is healthy and what is not healthy.  We can tell the difference between a normal portion and an outrageous portion ourselves without government intervention.   What is next, is the government going to send a monitor to check on my exercise routine, or to feed me my daily fiber requirement?  I make my own decisions on what and when to eat.  I know when I am eating unhealthy. 

Since this law will most likely be shoved down our throats anyway it will hopefully be limited to chains and will not destroy the creativity of individual chefs.

I live in Michigan, and when you go to a fast food rest. you have to search for their nutrient guide.  Last year I visited New York City, and was amazed to find calorie counts right next to the foods on the menu.  It was really helpfull and I think a great idea.  I wish our places would incorperate this idea!

I think we have a right to know what we are eating. I seldom eat at restaurants because I have no way of knowing how many calories the menu items have. This legislation will mean that I can dine out more frequently as I can make informed choices. Bravo!

One the one hand, it would be certainly helpful to have that information right there in front of me when I don't have time to research what I'm going to eat ahead of time (which is the most likely time I'm going to get something out anyway), so I can make healthier choices.

On the other hand, I KNOW how many calories are in a Whopper from BK and I still get it on occasion.

I guess the bottom line for me is this: they are required to post nutritional info on just about everything you can buy in a supermarket, so restaurants should be no exception. I, frankly, would like to see the fat content and sodium added to their menus as well, but that's another issue altogether. And if you don't want to know.... don't look at the menu. If you are going to get what you want to get anyway, calories be darned, you already know what you're going to order and don't need to look at the menu anyway.

 Merwin, what the goverment wants is for restaurants to provide us with information. They are not asking them to reduce the calories in their meals, or cut down the portions. The calorie information is crucial because not everything is as healthy as it sounds. I recently went to the Ale House and after studying the menu for like 15 minutes I went with a "Baked Seafood Platter" that was confirmed by the server as being one of the healthiest items on the menu.

Here is the description:BAKED SEAFOOD SAMPLER: Fresh Mahi Mahi Shrimp Scallops & Clams Baked to Perfection. Served with Seafood Stuffing

Except for the stuffing, it sounds healthy, right? WRONG! My seafood platter was baked, but it must have had at least 1/2c of butter all over it! Now if I had the calorie information I would have known that there was something up with that entree.

Now imagine if every industry could get away with selling their products without pertinent information? If dealerships could sell cars without MPG info? Gas without octane rating?

 Why make us guess or ask dozens of questions about each plate we are considering when a simple number could answer everything for us?

I think it will give people more tools to make good decisions. Whether they make these decisions is up to them. Ignorance is bliss as far as calories are concerned i.e. what you don't know can't hurt you. If the caloric/fat content is out there for all to see, there are no excuses.

On one hand, this is an excellent idea.  I know it will definitely stop me from that momentary weakness of "I really want fries, but I already have ____, should I get them anyway?"  The answer will most likely be: NO!!!

On the other hand, with portion sizes, I think that some people are just not going to care.  My guess is if portions went down, which in some places they have -- people will buy two, rather than one.

Whoever said it is infiltrating food business -- no, it's not.  Out of sight, out of mind as a functionalist society.  If we believe it is satiating our needs, we don't need to think of the caloric values.  This is wrong!  Sure, other chefs might be limited to their wonderfully delicious meals -- but I feel that anyone can make a delicious meal, can someone make a delicious and HEALTHY meal?  There's more expertise in that.   Needless to say, unless you are dining at one of these upscale restaurants multiple times a week, it shouldn't be a worry.

Original Post by: merwin51

I resent the legislation as an unwarranted government intrusion into business in this country.  Anyone with half a brain already knows what is healthy and what is not healthy.  We can tell the difference between a normal portion and an outrageous portion ourselves without government intervention.   What is next, is the government going to send a monitor to check on my exercise routine, or to feed me my daily fiber requirement?  I make my own decisions on what and when to eat.  I know when I am eating unhealthy. 

Since this law will most likely be shoved down our throats anyway it will hopefully be limited to chains and will not destroy the creativity of individual chefs.

The article specifically notes in the second paragraph that the legislation will affect chains with 20 or more outlets, so it seems unlikely that creative chefs will be hindered too much.

While we can all make our own decisions on what to eat, it is much easier to make those decisions when we are informed consumers.  Most chains already have all this nutrition information available to them, so while it will require costs for implementation it doesn't seem like these would be prohibitive.  Personally, I would love to have this information up front when deciding what to eat, rather than after I've already finished and am trying to log my calories!

All individuals who participate in a society have rules they are expected to follow.  I don't see businesses as being that different.

Agreed... informed consumer... better than second guessing... Also, I would appreciate it's contents... helps people with certain diseases... Celiac, diabeties... One needs to make important and vital choices to their own health care.. this is a wonderful legislation and everyone should participate in it's process.

you have only to go to a health food restaurant (and there are some out there) to find that rather than stifling the creativity of a chef, making something healthy, low fat, and low-glycemic is a huge boost to creativity. Really great chefs take it as a challenge and end up creating marvelous dishes useing herbs, spices, and wonderful (often fresh) vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins. I think even the chain fast-food restaurants will eventually find some starring dishes to put on their menus. As for lowering the portion size causing people to buy two - well, there will always be some who choose unwisely and at least, the business will profit in a down economy. There's always a silver lining when the glass is half-full and the thinker is positive and optimestic.

I constantly ate at fast food chains and am classified in that obese catagory. No more. I gave up the fast food when I broke out with cellulitis on my legs from retaining water from the SALT in these foods. Even health foods are loaded with salt. I have been arguing with the Kashi Co. about the salt in their meals. When I got the cellulitis, and found out what causes this, I checked out what was contained in the food I was eating. I have about 80 more new grey hairs from that information. I said "No More"! I gave up salt, sugar and a lot of fat by making my own food more often and only relying on fast food chains if I'm away from home. And then that's very rare. More worst fears were when I saw the Health Food Industries' ideas of salt. To them it's okay to put 1000 mg. of sodium in a single serving of food. Their answer: just eat 1 serving. Yeah right - a serving fits in the palm of my hand. That will fill an obese person alright.So I think this is a great idea because if I had known how much salt was in those burgers or snackers(my personal downfall-KFC snackers, who'd have thought those little things could kill), I would have thought twice about getting them. By the way I've lost 27 lbs with little or no change to my diet other than limiting salt, sugar, and a little fat. I've added more fresh foods, found some new ones I love, but still eat till I'm full. Portion control by the way is regulated by the food you eat. Better food fills you more and I found I'm eating less, with no effort on my part. Cellulitis cleared up, my legs don't contain all that water buildup. Write whoever you need to write to get this bill passed and then pay attention to the postings at your favorite restaurant and make better choices. You'll be pleasantly surprised, just like I was. This is the first time I've lost weight without really killing myself. Next up - continue screaming at the health food industry - if it says "healthy", I want it to be.

That is not true. Not everyone 'with half a brain' knows what is healthy/unhealthy or is knowledgeable about serving sizes. This new law is not an infringement on our 'rights'. A whole lot of people need all the help they can get with making choices. I am not embarrassed to admit that I am one of them and I have decidedly more than 'half a brain'.

I dont see what the problem is, from a european perspective, when you go out to eat, you KNOW you're going to eat food that isnt good for you. So instead of incorperating fast food into your daily lives, why cant you just go out every once in a while as a treat or special occasion?

Sadly, although I do personally like knowing what is in my food when I eat it (I usually check the restaurant's website to look at the nutritional info, most have it these days!).  Having said that, if this does get passed, then there will probably be an increase in already expensive food - this increase will be handed down to us from the restaurants who will have to create new menus and new materials that reflect this information, may not seem like a huge deal, but these days, every little penny counts too, not just the calories!

I would love to have the calorie information whenever I go out to eat but I would also like to be able to order a half size meal for less money. I know I can ask for a "doggy bag" but I want to have less in front of me when I'm eating. I don't like that restaurants "force" you into eating what they want. What I mean my force is like what happened to me at a restaurant the other day. I just wanted the sandwich. No fries, no side dish, and I wanted to pay less. They said that wasn't available so I ate nothing while the rest of my family had meals. Come on restaurants... Give us a little help. Those that do might even start making money from people who rarely go out.

The fact that a person chooses to eat in a fast food restaurant in the first place confirms the fact that he/she is prepared to make unhealthy choices. After all we know what is good or bad for us already. I do not think that this legislation will achieve the desired effect

I applaud this measure!  I love to eat out, however since I have started counting calories I have been limited to restaurants that have their nutritional information posted online, and I only go if I had made it a point to know the calories ahead of time.  This has been very limiting.  It would be so much more freeing to be able to look at the calorie counts right there when I order.  No more spending 20 minutes online at home searching calorie counts at a similar restaurant so I can try to make an educated guess. 

As Merwin said earlier, people know what is healthy and what isn't.  However, not all foods are created equal, particularly when it comes to different restaurants.  Some restaurants make mashed potatoes using dehydrated potatoes and margarine and milk.  The restaurant at the hotel I work at uses real potatoes, real butter, and heavy whipping cream.  Needless to say I only eat a small serving of their potatoes.  However, I only know what goes in them because I saw the chef pouring whipping cream into a huge bowl of potatoes one day which prompted me to ask him how bad they were for me.   

Portion sizes are another thing that will benefit from the information being posted.  I can tell you what my plate should look like, but in reality, when they give me a huge plate full of food, it is so hard to not just dig in.  However, if I had read 20 minutes earlier that the full plate had almost a full day's worth of calories it would make it a LOT easier to divide my food in half (or even thirds) and only eat a fraction of it. 

As far as chef creativity goes, I think that there are still plenty of people who will eat the high calorie decadent foods.  If they don't, the chefs will be forced to be more creative in creating lower calorie yet still delicious meals. 

I think it will definitely affect the choices of folks who do care about what they put into their bodies.  I don't know about the states, but here in Great Britain McDonald's puts the calorie, fat, and sodium content right on the food wrappers.  I have had 2 Big Macs in the 6 months that I've been over here...  And the rest of the day I thought twice before going into the kitchen, because I knew how much I had just engorged.  I still go to McD's with my husband on days I just don't feel like cooking or we're out and about, but I always stick to a cheeseburger happy meal which is the more tolerable 500 calories, or more recently since joining CC, I grab a grilled chicken salad.  My husband isn't watching so much, and will have his Big Mac and eat it too, lol!  But we don't have a regular McD's diet, either.  I always make homecooked meals, with an exception once or twice a week.  I think-no, I KNOW- putting the calorie information on menus will make many Americans think twice before ordering.  As for the potential price increase, heaven forbid Americans are given a bit more initiative to stay home and COOK THEIR OWN DAMNED FOOD!!!  It's way healthier, and obviously cheaper, folks!  HELLOOOOOO!!!!!!!  And it's really NOT that hard after cooking a few times.  Try it- I did, and I'm not going back!

I seldom eat in "fast food" restaurants but I do eat at restaurants that most likely would be affected by this legislation such as Friendly's, Chili's, Panera's, etc. While some of these restaurants already have calorie counts available it would be wonderful to have them right on the menu.

Original Post by: hlthygrl25

I think it will definitely affect the choices of folks who do care about what they put into their bodies.  I don't know about the states, but here in Great Britain McDonald's puts the calorie, fat, and sodium content right on the food wrappers.  I have had 2 Big Macs in the 6 months that I've been over here...  And the rest of the day I thought twice before going into the kitchen, because I knew how much I had just engorged.  I still go to McD's with my husband on days I just don't feel like cooking or we're out and about, but I always stick to a cheeseburger happy meal which is the more tolerable 500 calories, or more recently since joining CC, I grab a grilled chicken salad.  My husband isn't watching so much, and will have his Big Mac and eat it too, lol!  But we don't have a regular McD's diet, either.  I always make homecooked meals, with an exception once or twice a week.  I think-no, I KNOW- putting the calorie information on menus will make many Americans think twice before ordering.  As for the potential price increase, heaven forbid Americans are given a bit more initiative to stay home and COOK THEIR OWN DAMNED FOOD!!!  It's way healthier, and obviously cheaper, folks!  HELLOOOOOO!!!!!!!  And it's really NOT that hard after cooking a few times.  Try it- I did, and I'm not going back!

Well said hlthygrl25... We Americans want things WAAAAY to convenient. My son was in the UK a couple of years ago and said they walk everywhere. In America it seems like if we want to visit our next door neighbor we take our car. Eat Less... Move More...

Freew8, many fast food restaurants offer healthy options as well.  Nowadays I don't walk into a fast food place prepared to over do it.  I walk in prepared to save a few bucks and 30 minutes!  Most of these places have salads, grilled chicken, and fruit!  You just hafta ask! 

I'd welcome nutritional information in restaurants, although I seldom eat in chain restaurants. 

I'm struggling with a medically advised very low sodium diet, and now seldom eat in restaurants.  I find that small bistros where the food is prepared fresh, can offer me lower sodium choices by simply talking to the chef.  But it's such a hassle that I'm eating at home all the time these days.

I don't think this law will make people any more aware of the health dangers of high fat, sodium and sugar foods.  I enjoyed reading this article in the NY Times - How the Food Makers Captured our Brains.  It's worth a read.

Nutrition info in restaurants to long overdue!  I don't think it will matter to many, but to those of us who really are desperate to lose weight and be healthier, it would make a world of difference for the better.  It's so frustrating to go out and order what you think is going to be less fattening, only to find out later that you consumed as many calories and/or fat as you would have had you ordered the "bad" stuff on the menu. It IS SHOCKING to learn what some foods that you thought are "healthy" or "not so bad" are actually worse than eating a cheeseburger! Many national chain restaurants in my area don't even post nutritional info on line - which makes me suspicious that they don't want me to learn just how fattening their food really is.  Kudos to those establishments who DO post, because it has saved me from making the wrong choices; at the very least, it makes me more aware of why we're so fat.   I welcome the legislation for requiring nutritional info on menus!

I think that is a great idea. I am thinking that if people saw just how many calories are in those foods they love so much they might think twice before eating them all the time.  I know that just having the calorie info at Subway has caused me to rethink my food choices and that was before I wanted to lose weight!  Some people aren't aware of how many calories the body needs and how that compares to what they normally eat. 

p.s. I guess I only have half a brain, because I surely didn't know that eating a SALAD with grilled chicken and a little dressing on it (at Chili's) or eating a nice salad with a little spicy chicken & lime dressing (Pei Wei) would be SO very fattening!  btw, Kudos to Pei Wei for posting their nutritional info online - after reviewing, I know which dishes to order and which to avoid!

Original Post by: moreaual

Agreed... informed consumer... better than second guessing... Also, I would appreciate it's contents... helps people with certain diseases... Celiac, diabeties... One needs to make important and vital choices to their own health care.. this is a wonderful legislation and everyone should participate in it's process.

Allergies mean that I need to know the ingredients, too. Anaphylaxis reactions are no fun and can even be deadly.

I hate hidden oil, salt and sugar - and even though I can generally eyeball a plate and figure out the right portion size, it's tempting to eat more (especially if it tastes especially good). Yes, some of each may be needed to create the taste or texture, but at least tell me how many grams are in the portion so that I can make educated choices on how much to eat.

McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's and Tim Hortons already post calorie and nutritional information for their meals in Ontario. I'd like to see more places do the same thing.

 I think change comes from within and not because of a calorie chart. 

I  really do not know if people would change their eating habits when calories are posted for restaurants foods. For sure, It  would be a great help for people with medical conditions like diabetes and for people  that are trying to eat healthier and fewer calories.

It would be a great help.

I'm looking forward for it!

Rather than choosing to only go to restaurants that provide nutritional information, or educating yourself so you can make healthy decisions when eating out, those of you in favor of this legislation prefer to force the restaurants, at the point of a gun, to cater to the lowest common denominator among us; the uninformed slob.

Yes, everyone's a victim.  It's all the restaurants fault that you're a lard ball. Rugged Individualism is dead and you're all nanny-staters now. 

Under the guise of "public health" the government has carte blanche to regulate practically everything these days. Including, someday, your access to health care and medicine.  

I think this is wonderful, but I didn't see Colorado on there. :( I hope we do it too! I would love for it to happen, people changed their behaviors and restaurants would as well. Instead of trying to make things MORE fattening maybe they will attempt to make them less fattening.

It's not that people don't care about their health, I think the problem is that the choices we make a lot of times we don't see as *that bad*. We think of it as a little off target, a few hundred calories or so, but then you find out that one meal was more calories than you should have had in a day. Now that sucks. I am reading a book called the End of Overeating and wow, it's amazing the thought that goes into making food so good (and yet so horrible for you).

It's a step in the right direction.  When I talk to some people (non-dieters if you may), I'm amazed by how uninformed they are about the calories, fat, sodium and sugar that's in the foods they eat.  It's not the total answer but it's a start.

Original Post by: ds1973

Rather than choosing to only go to restaurants that provide nutritional information, or educating yourself so you can make healthy decisions when eating out, those of you in favor of this legislation prefer to force the restaurants, at the point of a gun, to cater to the lowest common denominator among us; the uninformed slob.

Yes, everyone's a victim.  It's all the restaurants fault that you're a lard ball. Rugged Individualism is dead and you're all nanny-staters now. 

Under the guise of "public health" the government has carte blanche to regulate practically everything these days. Including, someday, your access to health care and medicine.  

I don't at all think we are the uninformed slobs.

Perhaps you should read a couple of books and see what the ingredients in food can do to you. They shove high fructose corn syrup in practically everything they can and it has been researched that it does not actually act like sugar in your system. I would have never known that had I not taken the time to read a book called Fat Land about it. Not everyone has the time on their hands to go out of their way and read books on something that should "educate yourself". You somewhat expect certain things in life. Like someone not trying to dupe you into eating twice the calories that you think they are. Not to mention if you read The End of Overeating you will find out that the factories that make these restaurant variety foods before they ship them off to Chili's, the Cheesecake Factory and wherever else go to great effort to make them so consumable that you scarf down more calories than you ever could dream. And things that I never had known at all...or even thought people would do, such as putting salt in your salad!!! I look at a salad and think it's a salad.

Restaurants are in need of a little honesty. If this will do it and then change the consumer demand I think the nation would be better for it.

Original Post by: gracecc5249

I constantly ate at fast food chains and am classified in that obese catagory. No more. I gave up the fast food when I broke out with cellulitis on my legs from retaining water from the SALT in these foods. Even health foods are loaded with salt. I have been arguing with the Kashi Co. about the salt in their meals. When I got the cellulitis, and found out what causes this, I checked out what was contained in the food I was eating. I have about 80 more new grey hairs from that information. I said "No More"! I gave up salt, sugar and a lot of fat by making my own food more often and only relying on fast food chains if I'm away from home. And then that's very rare. More worst fears were when I saw the Health Food Industries' ideas of salt. To them it's okay to put 1000 mg. of sodium in a single serving of food. Their answer: just eat 1 serving. Yeah right - a serving fits in the palm of my hand. That will fill an obese person alright.So I think this is a great idea because if I had known how much salt was in those burgers or snackers(my personal downfall-KFC snackers, who'd have thought those little things could kill), I would have thought twice about getting them. By the way I've lost 27 lbs with little or no change to my diet other than limiting salt, sugar, and a little fat. I've added more fresh foods, found some new ones I love, but still eat till I'm full. Portion control by the way is regulated by the food you eat. Better food fills you more and I found I'm eating less, with no effort on my part. Cellulitis cleared up, my legs don't contain all that water buildup. Write whoever you need to write to get this bill passed and then pay attention to the postings at your favorite restaurant and make better choices. You'll be pleasantly surprised, just like I was. This is the first time I've lost weight without really killing myself. Next up - continue screaming at the health food industry - if it says "healthy", I want it to be.

You should read The End of Overeating. I am finding it really interesting what they do to foods with loading them with fat, sugar and salt. One is not good enough, they must add all. They are really creative in doing so as well.  Injecting things into meat before they are cooked. Double frying things (like french fries - get fried at the factory, then again once they hit the restaurant!!!). Things I never realized. Now I understand that even when I'm trying to make better choices they aren't working very quickly.

About time!  Restaurant food is a killer, usually loaded with added fat and salt.  We need to be informed to make good choices!

While I agree with the legislation, I wonder how it will be policed.  Often the portion size on the plate depends on who is dishing it up, same with the amount of cheese sprinkled on the nachos, etc.  There's going to be quite a margin of error.

Moises07, you are 100% right. Mervin, this isn't an intrusion on the part of the government to be big brother and make us as the general public do anything. It's the availability of information that is being asked for. Many HEALTHY items have lots of calories, they range, or there are items that are low in calories but really provide no nutritional value. Can you tell that a certain Greek Yogurt has 16g of protein while another only 10G? Or that a Fiber One chewy bar has 9g of fiber and a special K has less than 1? People who choose to eat healthy can only do it if they have the information to make that decision. Granted, eatin out on a regular basis is never going to be a super healthy option, but sometimes, it's not something you can avoid. I have lots of dinner meetings in the evenings and I can't avoid eating out on those days. After a full day of work, I need something filling, but besides opting for an option like a grilled chicken salad for the nutritional value from the chicken and salad, calories are a factor in my decision. I've seen restaurants where Burgers had less calories than something like a grilled chicken sandwich. They pack on dressings and cheese and whatever else, and who would think that eating a burger will have less calories than a grilled chicken sandwich??

Like most believe, this will not cause a huge change in people who do not think about their health. This information is listed on items in supermarkets and people still make unhealthy decisions. But for those of us who do choose to make wise decisions about our health, the information is crucial.

 those of you in favor of this legislation prefer to force the restaurants, at the point of a gun, to cater to the lowest common denominator among us; the uninformed slob.

Yes, everyone's a victim.  It's all the restaurants fault that you're a lard ball. Rugged Individualism is dead and you're all nanny-staters now. 

I suppose 2/3's (that's 65%) of the nation are "uninformed slobs"??  And the lowest common denominator?  Next time read some facts before spewing a load of garbage that only you can understand.  And if you are going to call folks "lardballs", you do NOT belong on CC.  Thank you.  BTW, I only WANT to lose 10 pounds... AM I A LARDBALL?  Have a good day.

Original Post by: merwin51

I resent the legislation as an unwarranted government intrusion into business in this country.  Anyone with half a brain already knows what is healthy and what is not healthy.  We can tell the difference between a normal portion and an outrageous portion ourselves without government intervention.   What is next, is the government going to send a monitor to check on my exercise routine, or to feed me my daily fiber requirement?  I make my own decisions on what and when to eat.  I know when I am eating unhealthy. 

Since this law will most likely be shoved down our throats anyway it will hopefully be limited to chains and will not destroy the creativity of individual chefs.

I disagree with you, Merwin51.  It's not like the government is making these restaurants take the unhealthy items off the menu and therefore legislating what you can and can't eat - they are simply asking restaurants to make the information available so that those who are trying to reduce their health risks can do so more effectively even when eating on the go.

There are a number of people out there who eat often out enough that they truly may have a distorted idea of what a true portion is and, therefore, not realize how many calories they are consuming in one sitting.  Similarly, there are a number of Americans with "half a brain" who may think they are choosing the healthier options by picking a salad over a cheeseburger yet STILL consume the same number of calories and fat.

Doubt that people will change there eating habits, knowing that most people don't know what a calorie is. Although it really would help me out when I am out with my friends so I can choose something healthy and not worry about how many calories I ate :D

Great to see something like this might come into effect!  It would be nice for that information to be available to me instead of having to research it on the Internet before I go; or asking for the nutritional information when I get there and the place usually doesn't have the nutritional information at all.

I work in a restaurant, where I get free food every shift. My intentions may start well, but by the end of the night all I want is an entire pizza, steak dinner or burger! I have gained 50 pounds since I began working in the restaurant.

When I discovered Calorie Count, I began my first week by going through our entire menu and putting calorie values next to every item on the menu. Extremely tedious, I found that by eating a plate of nachos at 11 PM I was consuming 1500 calories right before bed! Even the healthy Hummus Platter racked up 800 cals with the yummy feta cheese & pita bread.

I think that by putting calorie contents next to foods, it helps people become aware and more accountable for the things they are choosing, and I hope to see this in restaurants EVERYWHERE!!!

I live in NYC and I know that posted calorie information greatly affects my choices. I'm a health-conscious person to begin with though, and I know there are people out there who don't care about calories at all, and the posted info will not make a difference to them. However, this information should be available. What real grounds can they possibly have against this legislation? "Anyone with half a brain already knows what is healthy and what is not healthy." Not when they jazz up high calorie foods with terms like "fat free" and "all natural"... These things may be, but if your fat-free muffin is still 400 calories, you deserve to know. "...unwarranted government intrusion...", oh please! TELL US WHAT WE'RE EATING!

Original Post by: ds1973

Rather than choosing to only go to restaurants that provide nutritional information, or educating yourself so you can make healthy decisions when eating out, those of you in favor of this legislation prefer to force the restaurants, at the point of a gun, to cater to the lowest common denominator among us; the uninformed slob.

Yes, everyone's a victim.  It's all the restaurants fault that you're a lard ball. Rugged Individualism is dead and you're all nanny-staters now. 

Under the guise of "public health" the government has carte blanche to regulate practically everything these days. Including, someday, your access to health care and medicine.  

I don't think it is the government operating under a guise so much as the  food industry is. And anybody on here is obviously making an effort to be more informed, which is why more information is a great thing to us. Having to post information about your product does not take away your ability to make it. Anyone who eats out a lot and does not care, still will not care. There will always be 'lard balls' to sell to.

And why the leap to access to healthcare? You should post your Rush-like rants about the Obama administration elsewhere cause that is all I see in the undercurrent your post.

Totally agree - it's not an attempt to control what people eat. the opposite, in fact, it give you more control over what you're actually getting. Instead of having to guess and maybe being way out, you can see exactly what you're putting in your body. they're not banning bad food, just helping us realise exactly what's in it!

I think some people who have bought into the idea that lite, lo-cal etc means healthy might suffer some "sticker shock" when confronted with the calories and/or nutrition facts. Others will go into denial. Others just won't care- especially young people who have no idea what they are eating or why. For those of us who are nutrition conscious forcing chains to put into print the truth about their food will be another tool to help us make wise decisions.

Whenever I am going to get something from a chain I go to their website and try to find out the most I can ahead of time. But- local restaurants do not do this and that is where the system fails. They could say that their recipes etc are trademarked or something like that and on that ground refuse to participate.

EATER BEWARE!

This is long overdue. I live in NYC so all the major restaurants do this already. It makes a world of difference. This allows everyone to take personal responsibility for what they eat. The only people who will not like this legislation are people who hate government no matter what it does or those (food companies) who have something to hide. In this particular matter both sides lose and people who need this win. In my eyes a win-win situation.

Being a newly diagnosed Diabetic, I hope this will come to all restaurants at sometime.  It is really difficult to try and estimate what you have eaten.  I gather this is for the U.S. right now.  Hopefully Canada will follow suit. It is like buying meat from the butcher. He has no idea what is in his meat.  Beef, chicken etc. is pretty easy to figure out, but things like sausage is near impossible.  So maybe we can get everyone to have to be responsible and post what is in there food.  Thanks for listening.