Displayed calories on menus

[philthetube]

Is there any controll on displayed menu calorie counts.

I noticed yesterday that burger king display their bacon double cheeseburger at 440 calories.. 2 burgers, 2 slices of cheese, to bits of bacon and a bit of salad, sauce and a bun, who are they kidding.

I have noticed similar in hotels, obvious guesses.

Are these ever checked, and if so by who.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Do you think that's too high, or too low?

It almost certainly isn't too high, if that's what you're getting at. People guess low for calories, it's one reason for the obesity crisis.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The size of the burger in question is only something like 149 gms. Fairly sure it'd be false advertising if the data was incorrect.

 

[AlterEgo]

Is there any controll on displayed menu calorie counts.

I noticed yesterday that burger king display their bacon double cheeseburger at 440 calories.. 2 burgers, 2 slices of cheese, to bits of bacon and a bit of salad, sauce and a bun, who are they kidding.

I have noticed similar in hotels, obvious guesses.

Are these ever checked, and if so by who.

How many calories do you think are in their bacon double cheeseburger?

 

[dangie]

How much bacon and cheese do you think there is in their double bacon cheeseburger?

 

[JamesT]

According to their "Nutrition Calculator" https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/good-to-know/nutrition-calculator.html a McDonalds Bacon Double Cheeseburger is 484 kcal, so the BK version being within 10% sounds entirely plausible.

 

[Trackman]

I bet there is no checking.
I've just had a nosey at the FSA website, there seems to be a tool that can work out calories etc for businesses rather than sending the burger or whatever to a lab, and that's voluntary too.

 

[102 fan]

I never look at them, but I generally find the bigger the calorie count the tastier the food.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I find they do influence my choices. They're often surprising - for instance tuna, which you'd think would be healthy, is by a very significant margin the most calorific of the main Subway sandwich fillings. (Probably because of all the mayo).

 

[Crossover]

I bet there is no checking.
I've just had a nosey at the FSA website, there seems to be a tool that can work out calories etc for businesses rather than sending the burger or whatever to a lab, and that's voluntary too.

It is only required for businesses over a certain size, I believe. I would imagine they either will do the relevant testing or have the nutrition info from their supplier and put it together that way

 

[kristiang85]

I'm sure this doesn't help anybody in terms of healthiness, as I just now make my food orders based on value for money from looking at the calorie counts

With the price of eating out these days, I don't want to risk leaving hungry...

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Does anyone even look at the calories on menus anyway?

I don't. I just look for the food that I like...

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Does anyone even look at the calories on menus anyway?

I don't.

I just look for the food that I like...

Which quite possibly won't be anything which is sold at the likes of Burger King.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Which quite possibly won't be anything which is sold at the likes of Burger King.

Very true ( although I do buy the XL double bacon cheeseburger at Burger King, I always ask for it plain, i.e. no ketchup or other sauces in it ).

 

[PeterY]

Very true ( although I do buy the XL double bacon cheeseburger at Burger King, I always ask for it plain, i.e. no ketchup or other sauces in it ).

All the calories are in the sauces . I think the sauces have a high sugar content. I try to avoid sauces.

 

[Iskra]

Is the OP confusing a bacon double cheese burger and an XL Bacon Double Cheeseburger?

I like calorie information on the menu as they help you find value for money in terms of portion size.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Does anyone even look at the calories on menus anyway?

I don't. I just look for the food that I like...

Yes. All the time. I often choose to NOT have an item because of sky high - recommended max daily calorie allowance- in one meal before the alcohol!

 

[DelW]

Quite often on a restaurant menu I'll be choosing between three or four items that I like. Calorie count is a useful differentiator, along with price.

It also surprises me how high in calories some desserts are - combined with a main course, they can add up to an adult's daily recommended intake in a single meal. Calorie values (sometimes) help me to avoid the worst cases!

 

[Cdd89]

Quite often on a restaurant menu I'll be choosing between three or four items that I like. Calorie count is a useful differentiator, along with price.

Yes, this is the benefit I get out of it.

If I go out to eat I’m not that worried about calories, but if I’m equally torn between two dishes where one is 700 and the other is 1000, I know which I’m choosing! And the higher/lower often isn’t what you might expect it to be.

 

[dk1]

Always make sure I cover up any menu calorie information. I don’t eat out to be made to feel guilty.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Quite often on a restaurant menu I'll be choosing between three or four items that I like. Calorie count is a useful differentiator, along with price.

It also surprises me how high in calories some desserts are - combined with a main course, they can add up to an adult's daily recommended intake in a single meal. Calorie values (sometimes) help me to avoid the worst cases!

It is the CONCENTRATED refined sugar content.

As an aside, my doctor has said to me, freshly made fruit smoothies are not as good for us as we think. Yes, they are not refined sugar, but still sugar whichever way we look at it. Very high calorie count.

 

[Howardh]

I find it strange that while food is labelled with enough information to fill Encyclopedia Britannica, and I bet unless someone is looking for gluten-free or vegan produce, is totally ignored, it's annoying that beer at the pumps is often devoid of the alcoholic volume label. Some have it clearly stated, some in very small print, many nothing at all, and as someone who likes a beer and doesn't want to gather too many "units" that info is invaluable. Because a beer is lighter doesn't mean it tastes worse!

And at busy times it feels a bit off/time consuming asking the staff to go though each pump's AV.

 

[yorksrob]

I'd rather they had a picture of the food so that I can judge the portion size and avoid any "nouvelle cuisine".

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'd rather they had a picture of the food so that I can judge the portion size and avoid any "nouvelle cuisine".

Do Burger King / MaccyD fast food products, in real life, ever look anything like they do in the companies' photos?

 

[yorksrob]

Do Burger King / MaccyD products, in real life, ever look anything like they do in the companies' photos?

I think Burger King tend to have a more realistic depiction of the burger. If Maccy's are in a hurry theirs can be a bit more "slung together".

BK's standard chips is pretty miniscule though.

 

[dosxuk]

I find it strange that while food is labelled with enough information to fill Encyclopedia Britannica, and I bet unless someone is looking for gluten-free or vegan produce, is totally ignored, it's annoying that beer at the pumps is often devoid of the alcoholic volume label. Some have it clearly stated, some in very small print, many nothing at all, and as someone who likes a beer and doesn't want to gather too many "units" that info is invaluable. Because a beer is lighter doesn't mean it tastes worse!

And at busy times it feels a bit off/time consuming asking the staff to go though each pump's AV.

If I recall correctly, the ABVs are required to be shown next to the price list, which I also believe is required to be on display (it certainly used to) - this is why many pubs will have a A4 price list hung up just round the corner from the bar (often with a bunch of corrections scribbled on) as it fulfils this legal obligation.

 

[Bald Rick]

Does anyone even look at the calories on menus anyway?

Yes, always.

 

[Crossover]

It is the CONCENTRATED refined sugar content.

As an aside, my doctor has said to me, freshly made fruit smoothies are not as good for us as we think. Yes, they are not refined sugar, but still sugar whichever way we look at it. Very high calorie count.

The particular issue with smoothies/juices is that (from memory) the processes that make the product break down the fibre in the fruits as well which isn’t as ideal as whole fruits/veg (I’m a T1 diabetic and whilst fruit and veg is generally good, juices and smoothies are something I have to moderate as the sugars are quick hitting due to the relative lack of fibre)

I find it strange that while food is labelled with enough information to fill Encyclopedia Britannica, and I bet unless someone is looking for gluten-free or vegan produce, is totally ignored, it's annoying that beer at the pumps is often devoid of the alcoholic volume label. Some have it clearly stated, some in very small print, many nothing at all, and as someone who likes a beer and doesn't want to gather too many "units" that info is invaluable. Because a beer is lighter doesn't mean it tastes worse!

And at busy times it feels a bit off/time consuming asking the staff to go though each pump's AV.

It depends a lot on venue, but gluten free can be hit and miss, for sure (my other half is coeliac (yes, between us we make a right pair!))

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Yes breaking the fiber is also a factor.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

I find it strange that while food is labelled with enough information to fill Encyclopedia Britannica, and I bet unless someone is looking for gluten-free or vegan produce, is totally ignored, i

Not by me, it isn't. I don't pay much attention to the calorie count itself, but in supermarkets I pay a lot of attention to the % breakdown of protein, fat, refined sugar and complex carbohydrates. I also often look at the list of ingredients, normally in order to get an idea of how many ingredients there are and therefore how processed it's likely to be (and also to check for certain foods that I massively don't like).