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Fast food chains start posting calorie counts

By Marlene Naanes | mnaanes@am-ny.com

April 15, 2008

Big chain restaurants now have until Monday to begin posting calorie counts of their dishes on menu boards, a second postponement in implementing the new city regulation.

Some big chain restaurants like Quiznos and Chipotle, however, already have began posting calorie counts of their dishes on menu boards this week, in advance of a previous deadline set for Tuesday.

A number of New Yorkers yesterday were surprised by the information, while others welcomed it.

"Wait, the chips and guacamole are 710 calories?" said Kristina LoMonaco, 24, of SoHo, eating at a Midtown Chipotle. "I eat it once a week and I haven't gained weight."

A judge is expected to rule on a lawsuit attempting to block the new regulation some time this week. City health department officials said they will not begin issuing citations until April 21 for eateries that don't comply and will not seek fines until early June because the outcome of the case remains unclear.

The New York State Restaurant Association filed a lawsuit earlier this year after the city adopted the regulation in January requiring restaurants with 15 or more outlets nationwide -- about 10 percent of New York City eateries -- to post the information on menus and menu boards.

The city health department will not enforce the menu postings until after April 21 and will not seek fines for eateries that don¹t comply until early June because the outcome of the case remains unclear, officials said.

In Lower Manhattan yesterday, customers were happy Jamba Juice may soon have to post calorie counts on their menu boards in addition to the paper menus already displaying the information at the counter.

"It's shocking," said John Michaels, 35, of Bensonhurst, who learned from a friend that the peanut butter smoothie he had once ordered contains 530 calories. "If I had known that then, I wouldn't have gotten it."

Yesterday, Michaels opted for the 200-calorie peach smoothie.