Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
City Says 3/4 Chain Restaurants Ignoring Calorie Rules
By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 2, 2008
Modified Jun 2, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 2, 2008
Modified Jun 2, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Courtesy NY Post.
The city’s Health Department has been schooling restaurants on the new law that requires any eatery with over 15 locations nationwide to display calorie information on all food and beverages. After numerous lawsuits from the New York State Restaurant Association, a judge ruled that the city could impose the new law, and it went into affect May 5th.
But many restaurateurs are ignoring the directive, and the Health Department has been citing them with gusto. 81 chain restaurants have been cited, though the city will hold off issuing fines until July 18th, at which point scofflaws could be forced to pay as much as $2,000. "We see this as an educational period. We are not issuing fines, we are trying to help the owners of the establishments understand the new rule," Health Department Deputy Commissioner Jessica Leighton told the Post.
Leighton estimates that about one quarter of the 2,000 restaurants affected by the rule are currently in compliance. Among them are the Dunkin’ Donuts at 243 Third Avenue, managed by Amin Bashirul. After he posted the info, he’s watched his customers change their habits, telling the Post, “I got one customer, he used to buy one of these [630-calorie chocolate-chip muffins] every day. He didn't buy it today. He bought something else.” And McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner recently blasted calorie info laws at a Chicago trade show as “redundant and flawed.”
Tagged
board of health
calorie information
calorie regulation
city
fast food
health
mac
new york
new yorkers
obesity
the city
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .