Classic New York Steakhouse Requires Menu Labeling - Good Thing?
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NWHF Staff
| Posted on: July 28th, 2011
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Categories:
Policies & Laws •
Food & Nutrition •
Public Health
Palm Steakhouse, NYC - required to post calorie counts
In his review of the 85-year old New York steakhouse Palm, Sam Sifton writes:
“A silky lobster bisque of deceptive heartiness derives its thickness almost certainly from rice rather than cream, and lists only 120 calories on the menu.”
“Yes, there are calorie counts listed against every dish at the Palms. This is in keeping with a 2008 New York City law that requires all restaurants with 15 or more outlets nationwide to display calorie information. It is terrible for a steakhouse as good as Palm to have to comply (those clams oreganata top out at 400 calories; the West Coast Gigi at 380; a plate of hash browns will deliver or set you back a whopping 980), but this is the price of success for the Bozzi family, which still owns the business. Guests who walk into the restaurants talking of beef blanch at the numbers and bail into green salads and plain fish. Moods are ruined, arguments begun.”
It’s unclear what to make of the reviewer’s overall perspective on menu labeling, but at around the same time of the review, the BBC reports, a study by the NY Health Department determined that one in six people consider calorie count information when making decisions. Among the people that consider the info, most of them actually select items with reduced calories.
What’s your view of menu labeling?
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I like menu labeling. I think that the other interesting part about the BBC report is that in addition to the relatively small percentage of people who changed their eating habits was the fact that some restaurants changed *their offerings*. This makes the choices broader and includes healthier options for those who want them. Win-win.
As far as the steakhouse goes, I think that as people become more educated about how many calories are in the foods we order (and for the portions served), shock will be replaced with sensible reactions that balance food over several meals or even days, rather than just one dinner out in a fancy steakhouse.