Next week when you go through the drive-thru, you'll know you're about to eat 750 calories in that Double Quarter Pounder with cheese, along with 500 calories for those hot, salty french fries. And don't forget the 310 calories for that large Coca-Cola you'll need to drink with your meal.
Starting Monday, McDonald's will post the calorie count of items on its menu boards. It's making the move ahead of legislation in President Obama's health care reform law that will require restaurant chains to post nutritional information. The changes come among growing concerns about obesity.
"We want to voluntarily do this," said Jan Fields, president of McDonald's USA. "We believe it will help educate customers."
The fast-food restaurant has already helped the calorie-conscious by launching healthier items on its menu. The restaurant introduced its "Favorites Under 400" promotion. Last year, it added apple slices to children's Happy Meals and shrunk the size of kids' fries.
McDonald's is also experimenting with the 260-calorie Egg White Delight -- a sandwich made with egg whites, Canadian bacon and white cheddar cheese on a whole grain muffin.
“We’ve made a lot of good progress toward our nutrition commitments and we recognize there’s still more to do,” Dr. Cindy Goody, McDonald’s senior director of nutrition, said in a statement.
What do you think? Will posting calorie data make you think twice about what you order? Share your thoughts below.
Our partners:
Join the conversation...