Eating Styles: Posting Calorie Counts On Menus

It’s Monday, and you know what that means – headaches and soul-crushing boredom. Oh yeah, and another Eating Styles poll! In the past five years or so, there has been a steady push to get calorie counts up on menus at fast food places like McDonald’s and Burger King. This push comes despite research showing that calorie counts may not actually affect customers’ dining choices.

In most studies, subjects have eaten just as many or even more calories than when calorie counts were not posted on fast food menus, suggesting that people’s eating choices are driven far more by the food itself than whether or not it is healthy. Researchers speculate that when consumers eat out, they already have it in their mind that they are treating themselves, and they are not going to deviate from that just because the calorie count of their meal is posted up on the menu.

What about you? Do you think an ultra-high calorie count of your fast food meal drive you to choose a lighter option at the register? Vote below and explain in the comments.