The National Council of Chain Restaurants, the leading trade association exclusively representing chain restaurant companies and a division of the National Retail Federation, has expressed its disappointment in a ruling earlier today by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Holwell that New York City may mandate that chain restaurants post caloric information on menus and menu boards. The City's regulation applies only to chain restaurants with at least 15 outlets nationwide.

In light of the ruling, NCCR President Jack Whipple released the following statement:

NCCR is extremely disappointed in the judge's ruling, which leaves in place a regulation that unfairly singles out only a fraction of restaurants in New York City. It is incomprehensible that the City of New York would dictate how nutrition information should be communicated in some restaurants, while completely ignoring others.

Chain restaurants are disheartened that they will now be required to feature calories more prominently than information about sodium, fat, cholesterol, protein and carbohydrates, which many consumers find just as, or more, important. Chain restaurants do not want to send a message to customers that one piece of nutrition information is better or more important than another. Most chain restaurants have voluntarily provided nutrition information for years through websites, posters, brochures and tray liners, and NCCR continues to believe that each company should make decisions about the best way to make nutrition information available to its customers.

Since this regulation applies to only a small percentage of New York City restaurants, it will likely not prove effective in addressing obesity in New York City. Instead of using only caloric information to determine what to order at certain chain restaurants, many consumers will simply choose to eat at one of the thousands of local restaurants that will not be required to provide any information at all.

The National Council of Chain Restaurants is the leading trade association exclusively representing chain restaurant companies. For more than 40 years, NCCR has worked to advance sound public policy that best serves the interests of both chain restaurants and the millions of people they employ. NCCR members include some of the country's largest and well respected quick-serve and casual dining companies.

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