NYC Not Eating Up Calorie-Count Law

As chain restaurants waddle their way toward compliance with a New York City law that requires them to post the calorie counts of food, the numbers behind the items have diners grappling with some unappetizing knowledge, MSNBC reports. The restaurant skinny is turning out to be anything but, from 630-calorie Dunkin' Donuts muffins to a pecan-crusted chicken salad at TGI Friday's, whose 1,360 calories trumped a burger and fries on the same menu.

The new law—it went into effect in the spring, and the city will start fining violators tomorrow—aims to reduce obesity and diabetes rates in New York, and Seattle and San Francisco are introducing similar requirements. But some would rather restaurants skimp on the details. After eying 1,500-calorie desserts and a 2,000-calorie fried-onion appetizer, one "so upset" New Yorker tried to hunt down a menu with no calories listed. (More food stories.)