printThe New Calorie Count Menu Law for California Restaurants
October 11, 2008 By Law Firm of R. Sebastian Gibson
This article discusses how the new law passed in California requiring restaurants to post caloric information will affect restaurants throughout California including the Palm Springs, Palm Desert Coachella Valley, San Diego and Orange County. The author describes what some restaurants are doing already to implement this new law in California and similar laws being passed in other states.
If you live anywhere in California, you will be surprised to see a change at fast food restaurants soon - disclosures in plain sight of how many calories are in that meal you just purchased.
California restaurants may have been exempted from the County of Origin Labeling Rules that began taking effect after September 30, 2008, but those who have 20 units or more are now required under a Bill signed by Governor Schwarzenegger on October 1, 2008 to post caloric information on menus and indoor menu boards, and provide brochures with nutritional content upon request by January 1, 2011.
Over 17,000 restaurant locations in the State will be affected by the Bill. If restaurants think they have three years, however, before other restaurants start posting this information, they are probably kidding themselves.
No other state may be as health conscious as California and as restaurants begin posting this information, they will clearly have an advantage over their competitors, that is, so long as the nutritional and caloric information about their food is good. Restaurants who fail to post this information ahead of the law going into effect may be shunned in the belief that their food is not healthy, even if it is.
Yum Brands, Inc. has already announced that its U.S. divisions including Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver’s, and A&W All-American Food will become the first national restaurant chain to voluntarily begin posting their calorie information on menu boards nationwide in their company-owned restaurants. Their franchisees will be encouraged to do the same.
In late September 2008, members of congress also introduced a bill to make calorie counts a national standard.
The question is whether individual restaurants will follow the example laid down by the Yum Brands fast food company owned restaurants, or even exceed the information required by the California law.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: R. Sebastian Gibson
Sebastian Gibson graduated cum laude at UCLA in 1972 and received two law degrees in the U.S. and the U.K., graduating with an LL.B. magna cum laude from University College, Cardiff in Wales and a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law in Southern California.
Mr. Gibson began his legal career in San Diego before practicing for a number of years in London, England. In 1984, he returned to California and opened an office in the Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert area of California. Today, he also has an office in Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, close to Laguna Beach, California, and the firm’s Of Counsel office is in Carlsbad, in the north coastal area of San Diego.
Mr. Gibson practices throughout Southern California from Chula Vista, La Jolla, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Escondido, San Diego, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Orange County, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Irvine, Anaheim, Rancho Cucamonga, Temecula, to Palm Springs and Palm Desert.
Copyright Law Firm of R. Sebastian Gibson
More information about Law Firm of R. Sebastian Gibson
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer. For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.
California restaurants may have been exempted from the County of Origin Labeling Rules that began taking effect after September 30, 2008, but those who have 20 units or more are now required under a Bill signed by Governor Schwarzenegger on October 1, 2008 to post caloric information on menus and indoor menu boards, and provide brochures with nutritional content upon request by January 1, 2011.
Over 17,000 restaurant locations in the State will be affected by the Bill. If restaurants think they have three years, however, before other restaurants start posting this information, they are probably kidding themselves.
No other state may be as health conscious as California and as restaurants begin posting this information, they will clearly have an advantage over their competitors, that is, so long as the nutritional and caloric information about their food is good. Restaurants who fail to post this information ahead of the law going into effect may be shunned in the belief that their food is not healthy, even if it is.
Yum Brands, Inc. has already announced that its U.S. divisions including Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver’s, and A&W All-American Food will become the first national restaurant chain to voluntarily begin posting their calorie information on menu boards nationwide in their company-owned restaurants. Their franchisees will be encouraged to do the same.
In late September 2008, members of congress also introduced a bill to make calorie counts a national standard.
The question is whether individual restaurants will follow the example laid down by the Yum Brands fast food company owned restaurants, or even exceed the information required by the California law.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: R. Sebastian Gibson
Sebastian Gibson graduated cum laude at UCLA in 1972 and received two law degrees in the U.S. and the U.K., graduating with an LL.B. magna cum laude from University College, Cardiff in Wales and a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law in Southern California.
Mr. Gibson began his legal career in San Diego before practicing for a number of years in London, England. In 1984, he returned to California and opened an office in the Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert area of California. Today, he also has an office in Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, close to Laguna Beach, California, and the firm’s Of Counsel office is in Carlsbad, in the north coastal area of San Diego.
Mr. Gibson practices throughout Southern California from Chula Vista, La Jolla, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Escondido, San Diego, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Orange County, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Irvine, Anaheim, Rancho Cucamonga, Temecula, to Palm Springs and Palm Desert.
Copyright Law Firm of R. Sebastian Gibson
More information about Law Firm of R. Sebastian Gibson
View all articles published by Law Firm of R. Sebastian Gibson
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer. For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.
