Recently, Maine became the third state to enact a calories-on-menu law for restaurant chains. Similar bills have been adopted in such large cities as New York, Philadelphia and Seattle.
The restaurant industry has loudly protested these bills -- and sometimes made itself look foolish. Such as when Dunkin' Donuts said that putting calories on its menu would make the type too small only to have the New York Health Department redesign the menu showing the chain could easily use a larger, easy-to-read font.
Whether it's sensing that popular opinion is against it or is simply tired of laws that vary from state to state, the restaurant industry is now proposing a bill that would mandate calories on menus nationwide.
In what may be a first, the powerful National Restaurant Association
and National Council of Chain Restaurants are actually on the same side
as the health groups, all of which support the Menu Education and Labeling (MEAL) act
sponsored by three senators. Trade mag Restaurant News put a positive spin on the bill:
TheUnder terms of the agreement -- which was crafted with
the participation of members of the foodservice industry -- the measure
would preempt all existing state and local menu-labeling requirements,
and protect operators from frivolous litigation concern over the
accuracy of nutrient content disclosure.
Accordingto the agreement, chains with 20 units or more would post calorie
counts for standard items on menus and menu boards as well as calories
per serving for each item on a buffet and salad bar. Standard menu
items must be offered for at least 60 days per calendar year and would
not include daily specials, custom orders and test market items on the
menu for less than 90 days.
final details of the act are still be worked out -- mainly as to
whether to introduce it as a standalone bill or in a health-care bill. But with support from powerful lobbying groups on both sides of the
issue as well as bipartisan authorship, it seems destined to pass.
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