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Inaccurate Calorie Info Could Soon Lead to Lawsuits
By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 5, 2008
Modified Aug 5, 2008
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By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 5, 2008
Modified Aug 5, 2008
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Gotham Gazette has an in-depth look at potential pitfalls in the city’s new law requiring chain restaurants to prominently display calorie info on all foods and beverages. Namely, the Health Department does not conduct systematic testing to ensure that restaurants are not miscalculating – or misrepresenting – their data.
Chipotle’s calorie info was previously disputed, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that Olive Garden’s cappellini pomodoro, posted as under 640 calories, actually had 990 calories. ABC News has also tested chains like Taco Bell and found big calorie discrepancies, and let’s not forget that priceless Dunkin' Donuts snafu where two locations in Penn Station displayed the same donut with wildly different calorie totals.
Class-action lawsuits have already been filed against Applebee's and Chili's for incorrect calorie counts – a Seattle woman is behind both suits. Chuck Hunt of New York State Restaurant Association, which has been fighting the regulation, tells Gotham Gazette that, "There are plaintiff lawyers just lurking in the shadows waiting to bring suits against restaurants for anything they do. The thing about lawsuits is, no matter how absurd and ridiculous the claim is, you still have to defend yourself, and the legal fees are incredible.”
Photo by PayPaul (Leader Of The WW Tribe).
Tagged
calorie
info
law
lawsuit
new york
nyc
regulation
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.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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