Calorie Information on the menus.... What do you think?

LilyWDW · Jul 27, 2016

*shrug* I could care less and won't pay any attention. Personally, I wish they would have the information available for those who ask for it, but I see zero reason for it to be on the main menus.

wilkeliza · Jul 27, 2016

JonUK said:
This is about whether it's displayed on menus, not available by asking. And servers don't always know which ingredients actually contain alcohol - trust me on that one.

It's not every single intolerance, and it's not like there's an endless list. Some restaurants already do it. Groups that are at risk, like me, who can be *physically* affected by it - definitely need to know. And even if you had to list every single intolerance to keep people from danger - are you really against that because it might not look pretty?

I was just saying listing every ingredient on a menu isn't realistic. If a restaurant wants to do that then great for them but if an ingredient list is provided on request that seems like a decent accommodation for those who need it. There isn't an endless list of thing that can physically affect someone but the list is pretty long. Would you really trust a sign that may not be up to date or would you prefer to be able to ask for the ingredients?

Also with a menu what if the chef had to make a substitution that day due to issue with a provider and there was no time to update the menus or the front of house staff didn't know? Would you have a false sense of security if every menu had that information so you stopped asking to make sure? I can't answer for you but if something physically affects me I would rather be 100% sure by asking every single time then to rely on something that may not be up to date.

Lisa F · Jul 27, 2016

shh said:
Sodium is definitely at the top of what I scrutinize when restaurants post online nutrition info...I am often shocked at how even the "healthy" section of the menu at national chains like outback, chilis, fridays and others have low cal entrees with 1500, 2000+ mg of sodium, not even counting side dishes. I'd rather eat a few more calories, but something healthier overall than a ton of sodium in something "low calorie". Sodium intake can really do a number on the human body long term - even things like vision can be impacted. Being able to make some educated choices at WDW would be great - even though I'd certainly still splurge on a few things. A few more margaritas without the salt, maybe.

the key here is "long term." As long as you are not eating out or eating processed foods all year long, one week of high sodium food at Disney is not going to cause any of those things.

alex9179 · Jul 27, 2016

Lisa F said:
the key here is "long term." As long as you are not eating out or eating processed foods all year long, one week of high sodium food at Disney is not going to cause any of those things.

Agree.

The only time you will have levels of fat/sugar/sodium that are acceptable to you is when you cook. Every restaurant will play with this trifecta to make it tasty and try to entice diners based on advertising. I believe that has been noted, previously!

Fat free was a sugar bomb of a marketing campaign at one point. Never mind those calories, it's fat free!
Sugar free will use fat/sodium/alternative sweeteners to make it tasty. Oops, some of those alternatives may cause cancer.
Reduced sodium, then they use potassium chloride. That's fine unless potassium is something to avoid for a medical condition. Hopefully those individuals do their homework.

My opinion is to figure what is healthy/tasty for you and cook it at home. Restaurant dining is a treat, not a healthy way of life. The average person can deal with the week or so of oomph that comes with vacation eating. The populace that can't will be talking with the staff to make sure they survive the fun.

There's a level of personal responsibility in a everything. If we have concerns we educate ourselves and ask questions. Calorie counts on a menu are fine for those who count calories. It doesn't "solve" an epidemic. People with allergies/sensitivities will always have to be their own advocate, just like any healthcare situation.

KrazeeK120 · Jul 27, 2016

I'm indifferent to whether or not calories are posted on the menu. I'll probably give it a cursory glance and if I'm really debating between 2 items, choose the less caloric one. I try not to eat horribly, but I don't watch my diet too closely.

JonUK · Jul 28, 2016

wilkeliza said:
I was just saying listing every ingredient on a menu isn't realistic. If a restaurant wants to do that then great for them but if an ingredient list is provided on request that seems like a decent accommodation for those who need it. There isn't an endless list of thing that can physically affect someone but the list is pretty long. Would you really trust a sign that may not be up to date or would you prefer to be able to ask for the ingredients?

Also with a menu what if the chef had to make a substitution that day due to issue with a provider and there was no time to update the menus or the front of house staff didn't know? Would you have a false sense of security if every menu had that information so you stopped asking to make sure? I can't answer for you but if something physically affects me I would rather be 100% sure by asking every single time then to rely on something that may not be up to date.

I agree with substitutions and asking as I am ultimately responsible for what I eat.

The only caveat is that alcohol is an allergen, not an ingredient. You know, like wheat or gluten. So if you substitute something, you still keep that allergen out no matter what. You can't offer a vegetarian meal and substitute carrots for chicken because you ran out. Keeping something vegetarian allows for the idea of having no meat inside still doable. Same with alcohol. Same with gluten. Same with wheat.

Lisa F · Jul 28, 2016

JonUK said:
I agree with substitutions and asking as I am ultimately responsible for what I eat.

The only caveat is that alcohol is an allergen, not an ingredient. You know, like wheat or gluten. So if you substitute something, you still keep that allergen out no matter what. You can't offer a vegetarian meal and substitute carrots for chicken because you ran out. Keeping something vegetarian allows for the idea of having no meat inside still doable. Same with alcohol. Same with gluten. Same with wheat.

pretty much everything can be an allergen, but the question is how common is it and how bad is the reaction? Disney has an allergy friendly menu for the most common of allergens. This is presumably to allow the chef to actually cook rather than spending all day talking about allergens with people who have common allergies. For anything else that is not as common, you talk to the chef. You can't expect Disney to identify EVERY possible allergen when pretty much anything can be one... if you have an uncommon allergy, there is a mechanism in place for you. Talk to the chef and they will tell you what your options are and also watch out for cross contamination. This is YOUR personal thing but it doesn't mean that it is common enough to warrant disney warning EVERYONE about it. Before certain allergies became so common - the only way for people to deal with them was to talk to the chef. Disney is amazing at dealing with allergies too, you just have to ask and avail yourself of what is already there. When I was nursing my son he had a major dairy intolerance (if I got any dairy protein into my system, he would scream for days). I talked to every chef and I never had a problem. Now I assume I could just look at an allergy menu because that is actually a common one.

I also have a mild allergy to fruit of a certain class (related to pollen allergy) but it will only make me a little uncomfortable if I have it. A friend of mine is allergic to cilantro (not a preference will make him sick). People can be allergic to ANY food, but some of them are FAR more common than others. You can't identify EVERY ingredient as an allergen and I don't agree with having a list of ingredients on the menu either and have a feeling of safety - the chef needs to be aware of your allergy to prevent cross contamination. Presumably asking for and ordering off of an allergy menu will trigger care in that regard but so will talking to the chef if you are concerned wtih something uncommon.

Sorry but I think it is silly to have a menu read like a nutritional label. I want a name, and a description. I guess price too but sometimes I'd rather not know. It's a fine dining experience, not a science experiment. I read labels at home, and I make good choices when I go out to eat but I don't need it on vacation. I do think it should be available in a booklet brought to your table by request for people who want/need the info - particularly carb and sugar counts for diabetics. Heck they can even list ingredients on that booklet but if I had an allergy to something I would still be talking to a chef to limit cross contamination possibilities.

JonUK · Jul 28, 2016

Lisa F said:
pretty much everything can be an allergen, but the question is how common is it and how bad is the reaction? Disney has an allergy friendly menu for the most common of allergens. This is presumably to allow the chef to actually cook rather than spending all day talking about allergens with people who have common allergies. For anything else that is not as common, you talk to the chef. You can't expect Disney to identify EVERY possible allergen when pretty much anything can be one... if you have an uncommon allergy, there is a mechanism in place for you. Talk to the chef and they will tell you what your options are and also watch out for cross contamination. This is YOUR personal thing but it doesn't mean that it is common enough to warrant disney warning EVERYONE about it. Before certain allergies became so common - the only way for people to deal with them was to talk to the chef. Disney is amazing at dealing with allergies too, you just have to ask and avail yourself of what is already there. When I was nursing my son he had a major dairy intolerance (if I got any dairy protein into my system, he would scream for days). I talked to every chef and I never had a problem. Now I assume I could just look at an allergy menu because that is actually a common one.

I also have a mild allergy to fruit of a certain class (related to pollen allergy) but it will only make me a little uncomfortable if I have it. A friend of mine is allergic to cilantro (not a preference will make him sick). People can be allergic to ANY food, but some of them are FAR more common than others. You can't identify EVERY ingredient as an allergen and I don't agree with having a list of ingredients on the menu either and have a feeling of safety - the chef needs to be aware of your allergy to prevent cross contamination. Presumably asking for and ordering off of an allergy menu will trigger care in that regard but so will talking to the chef if you are concerned wtih something uncommon.

Sorry but I think it is silly to have a menu read like a nutritional label. I want a name, and a description. I guess price too but sometimes I'd rather not know. It's a fine dining experience, not a science experiment. I read labels at home, and I make good choices when I go out to eat but I don't need it on vacation. I do think it should be available in a booklet brought to your table by request for people who want/need the info - particularly carb and sugar counts for diabetics. Heck they can even list ingredients on that booklet but if I had an allergy to something I would still be talking to a chef to limit cross contamination possibilities.

You may think it's silly, but it's not for many people. That's what makes us different - you have your opinion and I have mine. And I have the right to ask for a certain allergen to be listed, just like other allergens already are. And about very specific ingredients - you must remember many people ARE picky eaters who will deny that, and say that something in particular makes them sick (and if you feed them that in secret, some don't even notice it's there). Coriander is NOT the same as alcohol. And it's not an allergen either - it's a specific ingredient.

Lisa F · Jul 28, 2016

JonUK said:
You may think it's silly, but it's not for many people. That's what makes us different - you have your opinion and I have mine. And I have the right to ask for a certain allergen to be listed, just like other allergens already are. And about very specific ingredients - you must remember many people ARE picky eaters who will deny that, and say that something in particular makes them sick (and if you feed them that in secret, some don't even notice it's there). Coriander is NOT the same as alcohol. And it's not an allergen either - it's a specific ingredient.

I don't think it is silly that you have that allergy. I think it is uncommon. Those are two different things. Disney has an allergy menu for the most common things and I'm guessing because it is far more efficient to do it that way than have the chef constantly interrupted for allergies that so many people have. Anything else is accommodated on a case by case basis. If Cilantro can put someone into anaphylactic shock, it is an allergen. Just not a particularly common one. You don't have the right to ask for your particular allergy to be listed on the menu (I mean you can ASK but I don't think it is a reasonable request). What you DO have the right for is to talk with the chef and have your allergy accommodated, both in your meal and in possible cross contamination. And Disney is very good at this. This is your particular pet issue that doesn't apply to a wide variety of people and I honestly don't see the problem with the system that Disney has in place as it is. I'm not saying you shouldn't be accommodated or that you shouldn't have the information. Just that it doesn't need to be on everyone's menu. Even more common allergy info isn't - they have a special allergy menu for people who deal with that. I think it is silly to think that you can possibly identify every allergen on a menu. Maybe inappropriate would be a better word. I do think ingredient lists and calorie and carb counts should be available to those who request them. I don't think it should be all over a menu for those who don't care.

Hikergirl · Jul 28, 2016

JonUK said:
You may think it's silly, but it's not for many people. That's what makes us different - you have your opinion and I have mine. And I have the right to ask for a certain allergen to be listed, just like other allergens already are. And about very specific ingredients - you must remember many people ARE picky eaters who will deny that, and say that something in particular makes them sick (and if you feed them that in secret, some don't even notice it's there). Coriander is NOT the same as alcohol. And it's not an allergen either - it's a specific ingredient.

You do have the right to ask, but if its not mandated by the law the way the major food allergens are then a restaurant is probably not going to do it to pacify a very small amount of people.
It's easier to ask them what the ingredients of a dish are. In fact if your allergy is so severe you should be asking no matter what it says on the menu.

And I have no idea what you mean when you say coriander isn't an allergen. It is for some, just like alcohol apparently is too.

KrazeeK120 · Jul 28, 2016

JonUK said:
You may think it's silly, but it's not for many people. That's what makes us different - you have your opinion and I have mine. And I have the right to ask for a certain allergen to be listed, just like other allergens already are. And about very specific ingredients - you must remember many people ARE picky eaters who will deny that, and say that something in particular makes them sick (and if you feed them that in secret, some don't even notice it's there). Coriander is NOT the same as alcohol. And it's not an allergen either - it's a specific ingredient.

And the person who is allergic to coriander says the same thing about alcohol. I think the thing is, if every ingredient is listed on the menu, it becomes unreadable. And you probably would have to list every ingredient to cover all allergies. For every food that exists in the world, there's probably at least 1 person who is allergic to it. If you have an uncommon food allergy (or even a common one), it's on you to take personal responsibility in figuring out what you can and cannot eat (not on the restaurant to provide an exhaustive ingredient list for every menu item). From what I understand, Disney is more than willing to help accommodate anyone with a food allergy. All you have to do is ask.

Sagginit · Jul 28, 2016

They started doing this in NYC years ago. I feel like it is a huge buzzkill. I was at Hard Rock with a friend when we saw this for the first time and she almost broke out into a cold sweat when she saw everything she wanted was so high in calories. Also if you don't know your nutrition you don't know where they are coming from so you may go for another dish higher in fat or carbs in an attempt to be healthier. For ex. If you get a sandwich without the special mayo sauce and instead use a dab of mustard you might slash off a huge chunk of calories. Could be lower in fat than a salad with a huge amount of dressing. This will always be a guestimate as there are always things that can raise or lower it.

I would be happier if they put it in a separate book/menu along with detail facts such as sodium, fats, carbs etc. I am gluten free and always get a separate menu, I don't mind having to read two menus or ask for it. In fact I have been to places that label things with symbols (vegetarian, vegan, GF, DF, etc) and it can be too much information to take in.

JonUK · Jul 28, 2016

Lisa F said:
I don't think it is silly that you have that allergy. I think it is uncommon. Those are two different things. Disney has an allergy menu for the most common things and I'm guessing because it is far more efficient to do it that way than have the chef constantly interrupted for allergies that so many people have. Anything else is accommodated on a case by case basis. If Cilantro can put someone into anaphylactic shock, it is an allergen. Just not a particularly common one. You don't have the right to ask for your particular allergy to be listed on the menu (I mean you can ASK but I don't think it is a reasonable request). What you DO have the right for is to talk with the chef and have your allergy accommodated, both in your meal and in possible cross contamination. And Disney is very good at this. This is your particular pet issue that doesn't apply to a wide variety of people and I honestly don't see the problem with the system that Disney has in place as it is. I'm not saying you shouldn't be accommodated or that you shouldn't have the information. Just that it doesn't need to be on everyone's menu. Even more common allergy info isn't - they have a special allergy menu for people who deal with that. I think it is silly to think that you can possibly identify every allergen on a menu. Maybe inappropriate would be a better word. I do think ingredient lists and calorie and carb counts should be available to those who request them. I don't think it should be all over a menu for those who don't care.

People keep saying "you just have to ask" and that's not the point of this topic. It's about what is LISTED on the menu. Saying I don't have the right to ask for an allergen to be listed on the menu goes against what gluten-intolerant people do. This comes down to them having a right I don't. Maybe Disney shouldn't display ANY allergen if that's the case? it's currently good for some, bad for some. I'm happy with the way it is, I simply with they listed an allergen which is found in MANY ingredients and undisclosed in the menu.

Coriander is a specific ingredient. And in a sit down restaurant, it already IS in the dish description. You know what isn't? alcohol. That comes in MANY forms. Coriander comes in one form: coriander. But I respect your friend has a bad reaction to it.

I do think it's harsh to say somehow I don't have the right (FYI I do, as a customer paying for a service - it's not a charity) or that it's not efficient. When it comes to safety, a service shouldn't be provided on the basis of efficiency or what looks pretty. And again, you may think it's "silly" or "inappropriate" to have everything on the menu - but then maybe I think listing GF WF in any menu is silly. Shall we start a petition to remove all that from the menu then?

Disney is choosing to display calories in a menu. Good for them! It will help many people who DO care about their health control their diets. Don't care about calories? simply ignore them and read past them. But just because some people don't care, doesn't mean it can't be displayed or that it is not with good intentions to tackle America's obesity problem.

Lisa F · Jul 28, 2016

JonUK said:
People keep saying "you just have to ask" and that's not the point of this topic. It's about what is LISTED on the menu. Saying I don't have the right to ask for an allergen to be listed on the menu goes against what gluten-intolerant people do. This comes down to them having a right I don't. Maybe Disney shouldn't display ANY allergen if that's the case? it's currently good for some, bad for some. I'm happy with the way it is, I simply with they listed an allergen which is found in MANY ingredients and undisclosed in the menu.

Coriander is a specific ingredient. And in a sit down restaurant, it already IS in the dish description. You know what isn't? alcohol. That comes in MANY forms. Coriander comes in one form: coriander. But I respect your friend has a bad reaction to it.

I do think it's harsh to say somehow I don't have the right (FYI I do, as a customer paying for a service - it's not a charity) or that it's not efficient. When it comes to safety, a service shouldn't be provided on the basis of efficiency or what looks pretty. And again, you may think it's "silly" or "inappropriate" to have everything on the menu - but then maybe I think listing GF WF in any menu is silly. Shall we start a petition to remove all that from the menu then?

Disney is choosing to display calories in a menu. Good for them! It will help many people who DO care about their health control their diets. Don't care about calories? simply ignore them and read past them. But just because some people don't care, doesn't mean it can't be displayed or that it is not with good intentions to tackle America's obesity problem.

my point is that EVERY ingredient is a potential allergen. In order for this to work they would have to list every ingredient and every ingredient in every processed item they use. then what if one of the vendors changes their formulation and the ingredients change in that processed item? You have to have someone constantly checking for this and reprinting entire menus... as opposed to just having a chef who is trained in how to identify allergens and will talk to people specifically about their concerns.

It's not reasonable to ask for that or to expect it as part of a menu. at all. What is reasonable is to say to your wait staff "i have an allergy to x, may I speak to the chef?" That is reasonable. I'm sorry if you feel that it is unfair but EVERY allergy cannot be safely accommodated in the way you mention. Not with cross contamination issues. They have a menu that is safe for certain allergens, anything else is on a case by case basis.

I don't want to look at a menu that is a page long on each item. I just want to look at a menu. I don't have any allergies so I won't ask for the allergy menu, which does not list all ingredients. It just lists what dishes are safe from the major allergens.

Sagginit · Jul 28, 2016

Just to clarify as I am GF, some places have menus available with the top allergens and groups of items that can be ordered out of efficiency. My order still does get noted on the receipt and in the system as a gluten allergy, so the kitchen knows to take special care. This is important that they still have it noted. When I was in DL I ordered a milkshake at Flo's. The milkshake came out without a ticket and thankfully they asked if I wanted the cookie crumbs. It was on the GF menu but only if it was served without the cookie crumbs. I never saw the original menu so I had no idea to look out for that. Even listing every ingredient or preset allergy menus don't work unless the kitchen is still alerted every time which is why I think some places don't bother. It also sometimes means you are getting a variation of the original dish rather than they check the ingredients in the original and simply list what it is left out of. It does save time on questions and I feel that is the only reason WDW does this.

WDW would do nutritional and calorie menus if 1) it was required by law or 2) it somehow saved the servers time when people were placing orders.

Twinkle-bell · Jul 28, 2016

As someone who has struggled with eating disorders for a few years now, I personally hate the idea...I find it hard enough to try and relax my mind and not stress about calories and let it ruin my vacation as I find it one of the few times where I am able to try and ignore it. I know, however that it was there written right in front of me then I would find it way harder than I already do to enjoy a few treats now and again and I'm sure there would be others like me who would find this particularly challenging. However, I do think it should be available for those who wish to seek it out.

shortnsassy730 · Jul 28, 2016

I love it! I'm local so I can't eat in vacation mode every weekend. But calorie counts allow me to make choices that I can fit into my daily macros. Also, I am allergic to so many things, and I could care less if they put said things on the menu. All I have to do is ask. Even, I, who could easily die from some of my allergies, do not want a 50 page menu because every possible allergen is listed out.

Alcohol is a broad allergy and I'm curios now. Is your allergy specific types of alcohol derived from certain grains? Or how does it work exactly?

EEva · Jul 28, 2016

stobaugh6 said:
Personally I would much prefer a carb count rather than calorie count. My DS12 has type 1 diabetes and trying to guess at the carb count on everything he eats at disney world is always a nightmare.

I second, carbs would be most helpful!

TiffanyA · Jul 29, 2016

I think more information is always better. Making informed decisions allows me to feel more responsible about my choices.

DisneyFive · Jul 29, 2016

I love it when the calories are shown.

Dan

Calorie Information on the menus.... What do you think?

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