Restaurant Menu Food Values
Should restaurants be required to count calories and fat grams?
Should restaurants be required to list calories and fat grams on their menus?
Should restaurants serve more than the main course; desert, and drinks?
Consider, should a restaurant patron be required to pay a gratuity of not less than thirty percent of the total restaurant tab after taxes?
Conceptually, restaurants provide desirable ambiance’ and delicious menu selections; including, the wonderful opportunity to choose what, of that menu selection we the consumers desire to eat. Most people would agree that a delicious dish consists of ingredients specific to the delight, and at the pleasure of the one who prepares it, that’s usually the chef, who may also be the Restaurateur. In that case, the recipe, i.e., the ingredients are also the brain child, and the property of either the chef, or some particular person. That being said, menu items are the results of ingredients restaurateurs conceptually embrace; and, any chef worth his salt, won’t be told how to prepare his own creation.’ Be-it far from the public at large to have a hand-in, or to dictate the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of any chefs personal recipe creation, period; but rather, let us, the consumers, respect the Chefs/ Restaurateur’s kitchen privileges and etiquette, even as we desire as much in our own homes, and in our own kitchens.
While restaurateurs always welcome and encourage our patronage, we, the patrons, also have the option of preparing our meals at home, and using whatever ingredients we so desire. If we have a specific menu or meal item in mind for a particular meal; where the intake and controll of calories, carbohydrate, sodium, protein, fat grams, cholesterol, and trans fats is in order, it’s alright and acceptable because we know what we need, and what we want, and…after all, we are at home, and home is the right environment for these specific issues and restrictions; where we can readily plan and enforce them. However, once we venture out, to turn into the doors of a particular restaurant, perhaps even knowing ahead of time that a specific cuisine is prepared there; and, of course it’s prepared a specific way, we should simply keep this in mind; we are going to their house, to partake in their specific menu, prepared their way; and, we enjoy their cuisine the way they prepare it, which is probably why we chose to dine with them.
Possibly, it just may be construed as a bit crude, among other things, to suggest that along with all the other challenges and responsibilities faced daily by those who own fine dining establishments for consumer pleasure, should also take on the added responsibility of monitoring, editing, and or listing food-related values, that usually do give a whole-other meaning to the whole concept of dieting. Granted, these specific food values; caloric, fat grams, iron, calcium, protein, cholesterol, sodium…etc., at any time, and during any meal of the day, when dining-out, will likely exceed the desired values when dieting, or meeting the objectives of personal needs. The specific issue of dieting, and all such objectives relative to dieting and meeting specific dietary needs, again, are best addressed within the privacy and confines of ones own personal abode.
Perhaps, Restaurateurs and the food service industry as a whole; should, if anything at all, consider adding to their individual specific menus the following: (These specific food values; caloric, fat grams, iron, calcium, protein, cholesterol, sodium/ salt, trans-fats and all other food values, at any time and during any meal of the day, when dining-out, will likely exceed the desired values if dieting, or observing specific dietary objectives and personal needs).
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