The new rule, allowing a two-month grace period, took effect in May. It marks the first time a U.S. city has launched an anti-obesity campaign. It requires restaurants that have 15 or more nationwide outlets to post calorie information beside their prices.
Restaurants that fail to post the calorie counts can be fined from $200 to $2,000. The rule affects more than 2,000 restaurants or 10 percent of the restaurants in the city. It includes famous fast-food joints like McDonald's, Burger King, Applebee's, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks and Subway.
The calorie-posting rules follow a recent ban on artery-clogging artificial trans fats, or fats with hydrogen added, in New York City restaurants. Many chains have already removed trans fats and the rule could soon be applied in other U.S. states.
Officials say the goal of the rule is to prevent obesity and other similar diseases. According to a 2007 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a quarter of all Americans tend to be obese. The percentage between 2005 and 2007 grew at about 2 percent.
