Are Mandatory Calorie Counts on Menus Helpful?

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menus in 2012. Restaurants that do not necessarily meet this requirement of having 20 or more locations, but would like to participate, are allowed to do so as long as they follow the same guidelines. From there restaurants are required to provide for certain statements prior to indicating calorie information. The first statement that is required is similar to the labeling currently on pre-packaged items that we are all used to finding at grocery stores. This requirement should provide for the following somewhere on the menu: "A 2,000 calorie daily diet is used as the basis for general nutrition advice; however, individual needs may vary." (www.FDA.gov) This statement is required to be the same size as any calorie information and should be placed at the bottom or top of the menu. In addition, it is necessary to post that "other nutritional information is available upon request." Again, this second statement should follow the same size rule. With fine print covered, it is important ...

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that temporary menu items (defined as an item that is on the menu for less than 60 continuous days) and test menu items (defined as an item being tested and on the menu for less than 90 days) are not required to have calories posted. Another exception is that custom orders do not require any labeling because these custom orders are specified by the guest, involve a wide variety of options and would be difficult by for the restaurants to provide calorie totals. Lastly, among other exceptions, restaurants are not required to include calorie labeling for alcoholic drinks and condiments.

With this new law effecting a huge amount of restaurant locations by potentially adding on ...

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