Labelling
What menu calorie labelling does and does not require
Rules differ by country and by the size of the operator, and the exemptions explain most of what people find confusing.
Menu labelling arrived in stages and in different forms in different countries, which is why two outlets on the same street can display calorie information in quite different ways, or not at all. Most of the apparent inconsistency is not evasion. It is the shape of the rules.
Who is covered
Coverage is typically tied to the size of the business rather than the kind of food. Thresholds based on number of outlets or number of employees are common, which means a large chain and an independent cafe selling the same sandwich have different obligations. Smaller operators are frequently outside the scheme entirely, and are not doing anything wrong by displaying nothing.
What has to be shown, and where
Where labelling applies, the usual requirement is energy information displayed at the point where the customer chooses, which means the menu board, the printed menu and increasingly the ordering app and the delivery listing. Full nutrition detail is generally available on request or online rather than on the board, which is why the board shows one number and the website shows seven.
The common exemptions
Several categories are routinely excluded: items on the menu for a short period, daily specials, condiments, alcoholic drinks in some jurisdictions, and food prepared to a customer's specification. A build-your-own counter is the clearest case. Because the final item is defined by the customer, a single figure cannot be stated, and operators handle it by labelling components instead.
What the evidence says about effect
Studies of menu labelling have generally found small average changes in what people order, with larger effects in some settings than others, and effects on what operators put on the menu as well as on what customers pick. Any specific figure depends heavily on the setting studied, so a number quoted without its context is not worth much. The policy case has rested as much on the right to know as on measured behaviour change.
What to do with it as a customer
Treat the board figure as a reliable guide to the standard build and nothing more. It is good enough to compare two items, which is what it is for. It is not a measurement of your order.