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In an attempt to give the public more information about the nutritional value of the fast food they're consuming, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky is presenting a proposal next week that would require fast food restaurants to post calorie counts on menus:
If the measure is successful, Los Angeles County would be following in the footsteps of New York and a handful of other municipalities nationwide that already have implemented calorie counts on the menus at major restaurant chains, or are taking steps to do so.The California Restaurant Assn. does not oppose the measure, although it has concerns about how it would be carried out.
"We understand that consumers want it," said Jot Condie, president and chief executive of the organization, which represents 22,000 chain outlets in the state.
But he said it should be up to restaurants to decide how best to make this information readily available to consumers. He said he also wants to see a uniform policy applied throughout the state to cut down on retailer and consumer confusion.
Calorie counts and nutritional information have long been available on all major fast food websites: at the McDonald's website, you can create custom meals and have a web application spit back exact calorie, fat, and sodium counts (a hamburger, medium fries, and iced tea? still about 630 calories). There are other independent websites like Chowbaby handy to the consumer who wants to do some nutritional research before placing that lunch order.
The question, of course, is how extensive these requirements would be. Of course places like McDonald's, Burger King, et al, would fall under this new rubric, but what about Baja Fresh? Chipotle? Panera? Denny's? A Baja Fresh vegetarian bean & cheese burrito is far from a healthy choice: 850 calories, and 31 grams of fat. But does the public at large realize that their perceived "healthy choice" might actually be a nutritional nightmare? And what harm would it really do to post these numbers? The public will either accept their fat fates, or they'll begin to make smarter decisions about the foods they choose to purchase, which will then push fast fooderies to provide more healthy choices. It might just be a win-win.
Photo of original Mickey D's by turkeychik via Flickr.
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"The question, of course, is how extensive these requirements would be. Of course places like McDonald's, Burger King, et al, would fall under this new rubric, but what about Baja Fresh? Chipotle? Panera? Denny's?"
Um, I don't see what could be your confusion is?
because the term "major" is open to interpretation; do they mean national or multi-national chains? regional chains? what quantity of restaurants within the chain qualifies it as a "major" chain in their eyes? are they looking at how many locations are situated within the city of los angeles, or how many locations are in the chains' total holdings? i believe that is the "extensive" issue that carrie is raising, and it is a question i have, too.
I don't see what my confusion be could is either paul! could you explain it to me????
Hell wid dat! It isn't that hard to figure out calories per item, tally up what makes a dish, and post it.
Everyone in the food service industry should be required to do it...not just "major."
If you're eating at Chipotle or Baja Fresh (or ANY of the places you mentioned) and confused about whether it's a "major chain," then how many calories are in your meal is the least of your worries.
Then again, aside from a couple key writers, discussing simple mundane aspects instead of relevant topics in any given situation (aka- possible economic and societal impact of such a law) appears to be LAists main qualification for contributors.
Lindsay's right: What about something like Poquito Mas? A dozen or so locations around LA--but nowhere else... Is that "a chain"?
Wonderful, delicious, fresh, healthy ingredients--but in generous quantities that CAN'T be good for you...
I'm convinced that this is information that people "need"--but I'm also convinced that most people don't "want" it...
Don't most Americans consider it their birthright to eat whatever they want--in any quantity they want--with the freedom to be ignorant of the consequences? (Enthusiastically supported by corporate America, of course.)
I've literally had people scream at me "I don't wanna know...!". when, after asking me what turned me vegetarian, I responded, "I read this book...."
wow, Paul, way to be a fucking dick about it.
Carrie, you're right about that. That wasn't necessary. Sorry for being ridiculous.
But to be more specific about what I'm saying, Denny's has over 2,000 restaurants in multiple countries. Chipotle's majority holder is (or at least at one time was) McDonalds.
wilberfan has a valid point with "Poquito Mas," but all the places you listed are solid examples of major chains, without question. I didn't understand why those may be confused with anything else.
Red Lobster (a pretty "major" chain) has only 6 locations in LA County. Poquito Mas has exactly 9 locations. Koo Koo Roo has 15. Daphne's Greek has 17. This ordinance may well define some, none, or all of those as a "major" chain. Some "major" chains only have a couple of locations within LA County limits, but have far more in other parts of the country (like Red Lobster, for example). So, still, how this will be applied is unclear. While Chipotle's holder is McDonald's, are they counted as their own chain, or as part of McDonald's, etc. One place Carrie mentioned is Panera; they have about 20 locations within LA County. Is that enough to be "major"? Or does "major" have to do with ownership, national density of locations, etc.
You're being disingenuous. Major chain is pretty well used term that's well defined in our culture.
All of the above (aside from Poquito Mas, which is local) would qualify are national major chain. Does Panera stop being a national major chain with many locations in multiple cities and multiple states, depending on the amount of locations in any one given city?