New Law Requires Chain Restaurants to Display Calorie Counts

A new federal law goes into effect on Monday, May 7th that requires restaurants to display the calorie count for their menu items. Do calories matter to you?

The law is not for every restaurant in the country, but it does apply to chains that have more than 20 locations. It looks like over 230,000 restaurants will be affected by the new law. The calorie count must be prominently displayed. It does NOT apply to condiments, special orders or seasonal items on the menu.

And vending machines are getting off the hook either. Operators who own 20 or more machines must also display the caloric content of their items, either with a sign or with an electronic or digital display.

Maybe this is a great new feature for some folks, but does it really matter to you? I can tell you that I know the food I get is bad for me and I still get it. It doesn't matter to me how many calories are in my favorite burger...I'm gonna get it regardless!