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Thanks to a new law, clearly posted calorie counts will soon tell you exactly how much weight that burger will add to your hips. But you'll also be faced with some eye-popping news at your local movie theater concession stand. The new law, which goes into effect March 23, mandates that all chain restaurants with at least 20 U.S. locations must display the calorie counts of their menu items -- but it also includes concession stands at grocery stores and movie theaters.
Movie theater owners are up in arms about the impending regulations. Why? Maybe because an average bag of the buttery stuff contains 1,460 calories, nearly equivalent to three Big Macs.
Movie concession stands make less than 35 percent of their gross revenue from food sales, according to Patrick Corcoran, spokesman for the National Association of Theatre Owners, and its members feel like they're being unfairly lumped in with fast-food chains. "In the basic history of the bill there is no real intent to include movie theaters that we could discern," Corcoran told Bloomberg News. Corcoran claims there was no mention of theaters in the law enacted last year and is lobbying the Food and Drug Administration to overturn the ruling.
But Congress stands by its decision. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) "aimed for a broad definition of retail food operations that included movie theaters and grocery stores because people often buy prepared meals at the establishments," the senator's spokeswoman, Justine Sessions, told Bloomberg. This includes only prepared foods like popcorn, hot dogs and pretzels, not packaged items like candy, which already have their own nutrition labels.
Some theaters have already posted calories according to local laws or on their own volition, according to Bloomberg, but unless there's a dramatic reversal, next week all will need to follow suit. So enjoy that extra butter while you can -- it may not taste as great when you're staring that calorie count in the face.
- Read about outlandish movie theater behavior at moviefone.com.
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3-17-2011 @8:17AM LinC said... I think the calorie count thing is great idea even for movie theatres. They have a very limited menu so how difficult could this be?
My real gripe with movie theatres is how much they charge for popcorn. It costs more to get a medium coke and a small popcorn than the price of the ticket. Highway robbery! No wonder so many people try to smuggle food into the theaters.
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3-19-2011 @5:37AM Al Schrader said... Also says on here that eating fish reduces eye disease. That was yesterday. Four Japanese nuclear plants are dumping million of Rads of radio-activity into the Pacific ocean right now which has world wide currents. Fish ? I'll have the burger...Alfie-
3-18-2011 @8:14PM Tracie Smith said... Ridiculous!!!! A CALORIE LAW?!!! Does the government REALLY think it's going to change ANYTHING?!!! NO!!! People are going to eat what they want, when they want. How are they going to know how many calories you are going to eat. What business is it of the government's anyway?!!!
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3-18-2011 @8:57PM AP said... Tracie...I wouldn't be so sure of that. I got a look at an Applebee's menu around Christmastime when our family got together for dinner...and the calorie count was high enough for all FOUR of us to change our minds before we ordered. ll this boils down to truth in advertising, plain and simple. If you're not bothered by the fact that some of these entrees have more calories than TWO complete meals (compared to most diets), then by all means go ahead. But having the knowledge is far better than NOT having it. Wouldn't you agree to that at least?
3-18-2011 @10:22PM Tanya said... The law doesn't affect the choices you make, but it gives consumers the information they need. You need to read the article before commenting. Nobody is legislating how many calories you consume.
3-18-2011 @10:28PM CVaughn said... Uhhmm...the government isn't trying to know how many calories you eat they are trying to make it so YOU can know ho many calories you eat. I actually really like the calorie law, I have already found myself making healthier choices when eating out. I do hope they keep it in theaters - I am sure it would change my habits there as well. Kudos for a great law.
3-18-2011 @10:49PM Dylan said... Clearly you don't understand the law since you are ranting about government intrusion. Did you only read the headline?
The government is NOT limiting the amount of calories you eat or trying to track your calories.
The law mandates that restaurants and cinemas post calorie counts so that responsible customers can make informed decisions. The law doesn't have any affect personal effect on YOU.
Just because the headline calls it a 'calorie law' doesn't mean it does anything to prevent you from eating your way to obesity. It is simply a well-intentioned law to make it easy for personally responsible individuals to know what they are consuming.
3-18-2011 @11:23PM Opihi said... Yep ... I agree. The government is bewcoming WAY too intrusive. These calorie laws aren't going change a thing. We';\re a nation of fat spoiled people indulging ourselves at every opportunity.
These "laws" are just a short step from draconian taxation of high calorie food. They're not going to BAN anything. Nope. They haven't banned cigarettes yet. Because there's an looming opportunity, after a short hiatus, to impose MORE TAXES. Wait and see! In a year or two, there will be a drive to limit foods with high calorie counts by taxing them heavily. These laws look harmless and even helpful. But they are wolves in sheep's clothing. Because the people who are promoting these laws know there's an opportunity ahead for taxes.
When the calorie law doesn't have the slightest effect on the burgeoning American bodies, they will sancimoniously insist we "need" to tax the offending food. Wait and see!
3-18-2011 @11:23PM Opihi said... Yep ... I agree. The government is bewcoming WAY too intrusive. These calorie laws aren't going change a thing. We';\re a nation of fat spoiled people indulging ourselves at every opportunity.
These "laws" are just a short step from draconian taxation of high calorie food. They're not going to BAN anything. Nope. They haven't banned cigarettes yet. Because there's an looming opportunity, after a short hiatus, to impose MORE TAXES. Wait and see! In a year or two, there will be a drive to limit foods with high calorie counts by taxing them heavily. These laws look harmless and even helpful. But they are wolves in sheep's clothing. Because the people who are promoting these laws know there's an opportunity ahead for taxes.
When the calorie law doesn't have the slightest effect on the burgeoning American bodies, they will sancimoniously insist we "need" to tax the offending food. Wait and see!
3-18-2011 @10:37PM Denise said... Soon they'll tell us what we can cook and eat at home!
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3-19-2011 @1:03AM Tanya said... Again...PAY ATTENTION TO THE ACTUAL STORY. Nobody is telling you what you can and can't eat. They're telling the companies that SELL you the food that they have to tell you what is IN It. If you think that's government intrusion, you must also stand around looking for black helicopters.
3-19-2011 @3:00AM ElectrocuteMikeVick said... So do you just invent things to b!tch about you old nag? Where does it say we're being forced to eat a certain way? Restaurants are being forced to tell how awful their product is, same as tobacco companies. Why would any consumer have a problem with this? Or are you saying people dont have a right to know the nutritional value (or lack thereof) of the food they buy? Wow that sounds real American. I know you were hoping this story was something bigger, but instead of moving on you still had to whine about something I guess. If you're married, i'd like to pray for your husband if thats ok by you. I'm sure he prays every day for a quick death.
3-18-2011 @10:57PM Mikki said... GREAT! It's about time they had to tell us what is in the food they sell us. Better to NOT buy those foods and buy fresh produce, fruit and meat at the store and stay home and eat food there before going out for entertainment.
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3-18-2011 @10:59PM Mikki said... This is NOT about the govt telling us what to eat but about the sellers having to tell us what is in the food and what the caloric content is.
It's not any different than warning people who are allergic to peanuts used in Asian cooking, etc.
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3-18-2011 @11:17PM thdpkr01 said... "Butter" ??
The glop on popcorn is NOT "butter".
I have no idea what the blend or composition of this stuff is, but it's probably closer to Mobil 10-30 than butter.
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3-19-2011 @12:32AM Mea said... I'll tell you what it is and why it tastes so good - it is coconut oil. We used to have a store with a popcorn machine and just the aroma of the popcorn would get customers in the store. It is totally bad for you but is soooooo good!
3-18-2011 @11:18PM LadyD said... Hopefully people will make better eating choices if they know the facts about the food they are eating.
It's ashame our government has to be the one to point these things out to us, but I'd rather they create this law then for people to continue eating the way they do now, there are just way too many unhealthy people raising unheatlhy children in this country, so I hope this helps.
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3-18-2011 @11:45PM Concord said... Subway has less calorie only because they don't put and thing on there subs, unless you pay extra.
There are calorie in any thing you eat, THANK YOU !! Now go to sleep.
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3-18-2011 @11:52PM Chris said... I personally think this is a great idea. I think it would be an even better idea to tax the overly unhealthy foods that people eat. The cost of health insurance is insane, and bariatrics in a leading cause, contributing to diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, strokes, etc, not to mention the fact of costs going up when it take 2 or 3 ambulances and a fire truck to get enough manpower to move some of these people (I am a paramedic, so I see it almost daily). The costs associated with overweight and severly obese people are affecting EVERYBODY in America, with medicaid/medicare costs rising, as well as private insurances going up when they have to pay more to compensate the losses the hospitals see from obese people.
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3-19-2011 @12:05AM JohnK said... An economy in the pits, millions unemployed, and this kind of stuff is what Congress concerns itself with.
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