New York City, California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Vermont already have laws that require calorie labeling in chain restaurants. Companies, such as Panera Bread and Au Bon Pain, already have amended their menus to reflect calorie counts; however, McDonald’s is the first fast-food chain to reflect calorie counts on menus.
The menu labeling rule applies to chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments. Consumers would see calories listed in restaurants and similar retail food establishments that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations doing business under the same name and offering for sale substantially the same menu items. Examples of these establishments include fast food establishments, bakeries, coffee shops and certain grocery and convenience stores. Movie theaters, airplanes, bowling alleys, and other establishments whose primary purpose is not to sell food would not be subject to this proposed regulation.
