Should Restaurants Be Made To Provide Nutritional Facts?

[Neo-Logic]

Should all restaurants be required by either federal, state, or local laws to provide nutritional facts for its menu items?

Affirmative Argument:

2/3's of Americans struggle with their weight. This fact combined with the frequency at which Americans dine-out makes for a health problem. By restaurants providing nutritional facts for its menu items, it would allow its patrons to make more informed choices while enjoying the experience of dining out.


Negative Argument:

Restaurants already do provide more healthy choices for its customers and these choices are clearly labled. Furthermore, eating out is an individual choice of luxury and each patron can decide by common sense which items are more likely to be healthy. There is also the logistical problem that non-chain food restaurants items cannot be easily measured to provide nutrition information as they often customize ingredients by seasons or by customer preference.

 

[whereismynotecard]

They might as well... If people care about it.

A lot of restaurants already do that.

 

[Neo-Logic]

They might as well... If people care about it.

A lot of restaurants already do that.

By restaurants, meaning all - as in mom and pop shops, sandwhich shops, snack joints.

 

[ChristineES]

Sure, why not. McDonald's has them (you would not believe how many calories and fat you get from one meal, or maybe you would).

 

[Neo-Logic]

What about non-franchise restaurants?

Your corner Italian restaurants that are family owned, your Chinese fast food places, not just McDonalds or corporations.

The costs associated with the nutrition labels will be passed onto consumers because of the lower elasticity of demand on these smaller restaurants.

Also - restaurant menu choices will become limited and less spontenous or disallow for chef's specials or specials of the day as small restaurants all customize their menu to either order, season, avaibility of ingredients, or themes?

Would it not limit choice and increase cost on a marginal basis for consumers? Are these outweighted by nutritional labels?

 

[ChristineES]

They should have nutrition facts for all restaurants. I am diabetic and there are certain things I shouldn't eat. There are also people who need to eat less salt, less fat and cholesterol.

 

[McBell]

They should have nutrition facts for all restaurants. I am diabetic and there are certain things I shouldn't eat. There are also people who need to eat less salt, less fat and cholesterol.

So why is it the restaurants responsibility to do your homework?

Seems to me that if a restaurant does not supply the info you need/want/require it is your right/privilege to go somewhere else.

 

[Booko]

Affirmative argument:

Since some people might be made seriously ill or even killed by consuming certain ingredients, yes.

 

[Booko]

So why is it the restaurants responsibility to do your homework?

Am I psychic that I should know whether they use xantham gum in the salad dressing?

They don't know what they're feeding you? They should, because they will be responsible if something happens and they've been negligent.

Why should restaurant food be exempt from the same sort labeling other sellers of food such as grocery stores and food manufacturers are subject to?

It's all food. We eat it. What exactly is the difference to make restaurants so special?

Seems to me that if a restaurant does not supply the info you need/want/require it is your right/privilege to go somewhere else.

Seems to me if a restaurant doesn't want to get their arse sued off for lying to me by telling me they don't have certain ingredients in their food when they clearly do, they might want to have a binder available for me to look at, as many reputable restaurants do. I don't expect them to look everything up for me...I can read the manual all on my own. And then if I mistakenly order something I should not...it's on me.

Oh, except perhaps you think that maybe it's my right/privilege to never go out to eat anywhere, which would be my sole option were restaurants not be able to tell me what exactly is in their food.

Kinda like it's the right/privilege of those in wheelchairs to sit their arses at home because no one can be bothered to have a ramp somewhere so they can enter the building......

 

[ladyhawke]

The solution is simple and it does'nt require labeling all the customer needs to do is ASK the food service assistant if a certain product is in the dish your about to order and lets say your allergic to gluten then you can ask if there are any gluten free products available..easy.

 

[Green Gaia]

The solution is simple and it does'nt require labeling all the customer needs to do is ASK the food service assistant if a certain product is in the dish your about to order and lets say your allergic to gluten then you can ask if there are any gluten free products available..easy.

I would be shocked if half knew what gluten was let alone if it's in the dishes they serve. Besides, if you have food allergies or avoid certain foods you become distrustful of the information you're given by a server or may or may not know what you're talking about. I once asked if a soup was vegetarian, "yes, no meat in it" replied the waitress. It got to my table and was very obviously made with beef broth. Also, you can't simply trust menus with descriptions. I once ordered a salad based on the description on the menu which did not mentioned any sort of cheese. It arrived at my table with shredded cheese all over it. :sarcastic

 

[Mathematician]

Publicly traded corporations should.

 

[Wandered Off]

I think it should be voluntary. People to whom it is important would patronize restaurants that did so.

 

[SoyLeche]

Feel free to not give your business to those who do not provide nutritional facts, if you feel so inclined.

 

[DallasApple]

I think for the most part regarding caleries/fat/and sugar it should be up to the consumer to do thier homework and use there common sense..I dont think for instance my local mom and pop donut/pastry shop shoud have to put a warining that this donut contains 60 grams of fat(about tripple your daily need and 100grams of sugar...I should know that donuts are bad for me.

Having said that I do think foods that people can be highly allergic too such as nuts ..that information shoudl be available either by asking the preparer or it being disclosed in writing that that a particular item may contain or does contain nuts.My son has a classmate that is deathly allergic to them..He cant even eat foods that have been prepared around nuts even if nuts arent an ingredient in the actual food item.Also things such as arificial sugar..People are starting to come up with horrible reactions to that as well..I have a friend that has a damaged gall bladder from eating fake sugar over time..So now even if she injest even a tiny amount she has a horrible gall baldder/digestive attack.My sisters gynocologist also ..said his wife called him up and was having an episode of complete disoriantation and confusion..she was frightened this came out of nowhere..Turns out it was high amounts of artificial sugar she had just consumed in one of those "energy drinks"

On this same note...did ya'll see the movie "Super Size That"..?..A healthy young male did a documentary and ate nothing but McDonalds for breakfast lunch and dinner..The rule was if they asked him "would you like to super size that" he had to respond yes..And he had to eat every bite.(at one point he actually threw up trying to eat it all)The experiment was supposed to be for 30 days..He had doctors running routine blood work and monitoring his weight..Before the 30 days even expired the doctors told him to stop the experiment.(if he didnt want to risk possible permenent and chronic illness).His liver was showing sings of toxicity,he was headed straight for diabetes,his cholesterol and all the bad fats were highly elevated so on the way to heart disease,not to mention he gained a lot of weight percentage wise.He was very ill...Also he started to develop mood swings..what appeared to be depression and anxiety attacks.He felt miserable.

I do think the government health orginizations should keep people updated on the risk and benefits of various food products..I know I greaty appreciate having nutritional facts listed on products at the grocery.Some stuff Im absolutley shocked by..Especially the amount of fat and sugar and so on in such small "serving sizes"...A servign size for instance of ice crecm is 1/2 a cup.SHOCK ..who do you know that when they eat ice cream has 1/2 cup?..Not I...

Anyway..thats my ramble!

Dallas

 

[Fat Old Sun]

Choosing the so called healthy items on the menu is not always as easy as it sounds. Most people would be shocked to know that that grilled chicken breast they ordered is often dipped in butter before it is put on their plate.

 

[DallasApple]

Choosing the so called healthy items on the menu is not always as easy as it sounds. Most people would be shocked to know that that grilled chicken breast they ordered is often dipped in butter before it is put on their plate.

If thats the case I suppose we should be able to ask "how is that prepared" and the server should know.But for me I already know that in general and typically most resturants or "out to eat food" is going to be more fattening than anything I prepare at home..Unless I specifically order something off the low fat menu..Or something like a salad with no toppings or dressing.(yuck! :no..I'de rather stay at home!

Dallas

 

[3.14]

no, i think that it would severly limit choice and diversaty and would only leed to faked charts
i however do agree that allergie information and eventual high amounts of certain products like salt, poison(Puffer Fish) should be on it

 

[Bishka]

Absolutely.

 

[McBell]

Am I psychic that I should know whether they use xantham gum in the salad dressing?

That is why you ask them.

They don't know what they're feeding you? They should, because they will be responsible if something happens and they've been negligent.

See below

Why should restaurant food be exempt from the same sort labeling other sellers of food such as grocery stores and food manufacturers are subject to?

It's all food. We eat it. What exactly is the difference to make restaurants so special?

What makes them special?
I don't follow.

Seems to me if a restaurant doesn't want to get their arse sued off for lying to me by telling me they don't have certain ingredients in their food when they clearly do, they might want to have a binder available for me to look at, as many reputable restaurants do. I don't expect them to look everything up for me...I can read the manual all on my own. And then if I mistakenly order something I should not...it's on me.

Then stay out of "non-reputable" restaurants.
The following also applies to the above when I said see below.
If you ask a restaurant what is in their food and they are wrong, then it is on the restaurant for giving false information.
If you ask and then merely take there word for it, without looking it up on your own, then though it is still the fault of the restaurant for giving false info, you would not be the brightest bulb in the batch for merely taking their word.

Oh, except perhaps you think that maybe it's my right/privilege to never go out to eat anywhere, which would be my sole option were restaurants not be able to tell me what exactly is in their food.

Nice ad hominem.

Kinda like it's the right/privilege of those in wheelchairs to sit their arses at home because no one can be bothered to have a ramp somewhere so they can enter the building......

Nice red herring.