The Big Push to Include Calorie Count on Menus: Good or Bad?

According to the Huffington Post, in 2010 the U.S. Government required chain restaurants and other food establishments to label their menus with a calorie count. This decision was extremely controversial in the restaurant world. Some businesses appreciated the law seeing it as a step to greater food consciousness and health awareness. Yet, others in the food industry argued the practicality of a calorie count menus. In today’s blog Public Kitchen Supply will discuss the benefits and detriments of this new FDA requirement.
One negative of calorie count menus is that they can be extremely difficult to create. Creating an accurate calorie count menu requires exact precise measurements every time. While products like Fundamnetal Design’s Portion Pal and Cambro measuring cups can reduce this burden it can still be difficult to meet exact calorie expectations. This is especially true in restaurants that have greater recipe flexibility. If you’re restaurant is required to have calorie count menus, Public Kitchen Supply suggests investing in quality measuring cups and utensils. Purchasing the proper portion control tools will help you meet menu requirements every time.
While a calorie count menu requires more work, one benefit is uniform cooking. If you’re restaurant strives for consistent recipes, a calorie count menu may prove useful. Many food establishments, especially chains, want their customers to have a consistent product. Many customers expect the same taste every time when they go to a restaurant. The best way to achieve this is through exact recipes. A calorie count menu will motivate employees to use the proper measuring utensils. Calorie count menus make it easier to manage what ingredients are being used and how much. This is a fantastic benefit when it comes to restaurant inventory and food cost. Following a calorie count menu assists in restaurant organization.
One obvious detriment of calorie count menus is that it may cause people to order less. While a customer may know a food’s unhealthy for them they may proceed to order it if they don’t know the exact calories. When all customers see is a tasty menu description it’s easier to ignore the food’s calories. Calorie count menus eliminate this veil clearly displaying menu items nutritional value. While this may deter some customers from ordering as much food as they normally would, some customer’s may not care either way. If you see a substantial drop in food orders considering creating “half portions”. “Half portions” are a great way to meet health conscious customers in the middle.
Another benefit of calorie count menus is menu transparency and restaurant honesty. Many customers will appreciate truthful menus. Some customers, especially those dieting, may choose calorie count restaurants over another because of their menu. At Public Kitchen Supply, we think product honesty is a part of business integrity. Consider offering a low calorie menu for your health conscious customers.
Public Kitchen Supply work's hard to stay up to date on the latest restaurants trends and regulations. As the U.S. government and FDA push for greater food awareness it’s important the Food Industry does the same. At Public Kitchen Supply we carry a variety of products that will assist you in building a calorie count menu. To view the products mentioned in today’s blog and other fantastic product visit our website at publickitchensupply.com.

Jalonick, Mary C. "Menu Labeling Law: Calorie Counts Are a 'Thorny' Issue, FDA Head Says." Huffignton Post 12 Mar. 2013: n. pag. Huffingtonpost.com. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. .