Menu labeling and nutritional information has been the topic of some big news in the past two weeks all from a place you wouldn’t expect: The Movie Theater. And to be even more precise, the concession counter at the movie theater.
It’s hardly a shocker for most people to learn that those salty and sweet treats that we associate with the movies are bad for us, though it turns out few people fully comprehend just how terrible they really can be.
But hold up. Before you expect to see that giant new Jamie Oliver truck parked outside the next time you hit the movies, let’s get what the big hub bub is about. It’s not what is for sale at movie theaters, no one’s trying to plug in celery and carrot sticks into the menu just yet. The big hullabaloo is that theaters don’t feel they should be held to the same menu labeling standards of restaurants serving meals.
That’s right. It’s not that they don’t want to serve better food, it’s that they don’t want to have to tell patrons just how bad it is.
Currently, the National Association for Theatre Owners is lobbying the FDA to keep movie theaters exempt from nutrition labeling laws, as they are just concession stands, not dining establishments.
Since we first heard whispers of this story a few weeks ago, it’s exploded into a full media frenzy on movie theater popcorn, with reporting ranging from movie-goers immediately changing orders upon knowledge of calorie counts to interviews with concession customers who pledge to stay the course with their popcorn purchase information or not.
So what do you think? Should movie theaters be exempt from the menu labeling rule? Is it shocking to you that popcorn is so calorie dense? Will a little knowledge sway your snack purchases at the concession counter? We’d love to hear what you have to say. Leave us a comment below.
If you’d like to follow along, here are a few links where you can read more about this story.
Fox News
Time
Wall Street Journal
CBS
And finally, I’m sure you’re wondering, ok, really, just exactly how bad can it be? Well, an average large buttered popcorn at the movies will set you back about 1,460 calories. Yes, 1,460 calories, almost an entire days recommended caloric intake for a sedentary woman.
Image used under creative commons from norwichnuts.
But hold up. Before you expect to see that giant new Jamie Oliver truck parked outside the next time you hit the movies, let’s get what the big hub bub is about. It’s not what is for sale at movie theaters, no one’s trying to plug in celery and carrot sticks into the menu just yet. The big hullabaloo is that theaters don’t feel they should be held to the same menu labeling standards of restaurants serving meals.
That’s right. It’s not that they don’t want to serve better food, it’s that they don’t want to have to tell patrons just how bad it is.
Currently, the National Association for Theatre Owners is lobbying the FDA to keep movie theaters exempt from nutrition labeling laws, as they are just concession stands, not dining establishments.
Since we first heard whispers of this story a few weeks ago, it’s exploded into a full media frenzy on movie theater popcorn, with reporting ranging from movie-goers immediately changing orders upon knowledge of calorie counts to interviews with concession customers who pledge to stay the course with their popcorn purchase information or not.
So what do you think? Should movie theaters be exempt from the menu labeling rule? Is it shocking to you that popcorn is so calorie dense? Will a little knowledge sway your snack purchases at the concession counter? We’d love to hear what you have to say. Leave us a comment below.
If you’d like to follow along, here are a few links where you can read more about this story.
Fox News
Time
Wall Street Journal
CBS
And finally, I’m sure you’re wondering, ok, really, just exactly how bad can it be? Well, an average large buttered popcorn at the movies will set you back about 1,460 calories. Yes, 1,460 calories, almost an entire days recommended caloric intake for a sedentary woman.
Image used under creative commons from norwichnuts.
