NYC posts Caloric Count

Chain restaurants in New York City have recently been mandated to display the caloric count of their items on the menu in the same font and size as the price. A chain is defined as an establishment with at least fifteen operations nationwide. The move is to help consumers make more informed decisions when it came to eating out. Now, people will be able to see that a Big Mac with fries and a soda pop add up to roughly 1,130 calories. Not surprisingly, the restaurant and food industry is trying to block the requirement. Currently, establishments face fines up to $2,000 if the information is not posted.

I applaud New York City's idea and stance on this, and hope that it spreads not only across the country, but also to all establishments. Personally, there have been many times when I've been at a restaurant and want to know how much I'm really eating. While I don't count calories, I do try to have a rough idea of what I am putting in my body. Having the information posted would also finally give people the power to hopefully make better decisions when they go out to grab something to eat. For people who are overweight and are trying to lose it, this information could definitely come in handy when it comes to planning their meals. People don't realize that the muffin they pick up at their local coffee stop is a 600 calorie behemoth.

Source: Forbes