Consumer Behavior Tracked After Mandated Calorie Labeling of Fast Foods

To help consumers make better food choices, New York City implemented a regulation in 2008 that required major fast-food chain restaurants to post the calorie content of all food items on menus, menu boards, and item tags. To assess the effect of this regulation, researchers surveyed lunchtime customers at 168 fast-food restaurants from the city's top 11 fast-food chains in 2007 and 2009. The customers — 7309 in 2007 and 8489 in 2009 — provided sales receipts, demographic information, and opinions about the use of calorie labels.

Overall mean calorie count per purchase did not change from 2007 to 2009 (828 and 846 kcal). Mean calories per purchase declined significantly at three chains (McDonald's, 829 vs. 786 kcal; Au Bon Pain, 555 vs. 475 …