The new rule would also make it compulsory for restaurants to place food details right next to the price and in the same size lettering. The measure will however be not enforced until October and would apply only to chains, which make up just 10 percent of outlets.
The idea has been severely opposed by many restaurateurs in the city who feel that the labels would be cumbersome and expensive for them. They also believe that it would not be much beneficial to help cut down America's obesity problem.
New York Times quotes Rick Sampson of the New York State Restaurant Association, as saying, "Do you think people will stop eating McDonald's French fries and Big Macs? It doesn't keep me from eating a candy bar even though the calories are listed on it right in front of me." Sampson is also suing New York City over its law.
However, when a survey of 5,297 adults was conducted in 2005, it was revealed that nearly 83 percent of the consumers were in favour of the new law and wanted nutritional information in restaurants.
But public opinion polls suggest that consumers are overwhelmingly in favor of menu labeling. And a 2005 survey of 5,297 adults by the food services company Aramark found that 83 percent of them wanted nutritional information in restaurants.
Though the practice of publishing caloric information is common on the Web sites and food packaging of the restaurants, advocates of new labeling law say consumers should b able to see the information while deciding what to order.
