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Suit may keep calorie counts off menus

By Marlene Naanes | mnaanes@am-ny.com

Big chain restaurants in the city were supposed to begin listing the calorie counts of their dishes Monday, but a lawsuit in federal court may keep the numbers off menus until April 15.

The city Board of Health approved a regulation in January that requires chains with more than 15 outlets nationwide resulting in about 10 percent of restaurants in the city - to post calories on menus and menu boards.

But the health department said Thursday that it would not enforce the menu postings until April 15 and would not seek fines for non-compliant establishments until late May because a lawsuit challenging the calorie counts is still pending.

A judge is expected to rule in the suit, filed by The New York State Restaurant Association, sometime during the first half of April. The restaurant group filed the suit last month, saying the calorie postings were unfair and that restaurants already list calories in other forms, like posters and tray liners.