Most people enjoy the full experience of watching movies in the theater. With the big screen, amazing sound, and yes, the extra large soda and popcorn. It’s tough to say “No” to that fresh buttery popcorn smell when you enter the building. We see this as a little indulgence as when we go out to enjoy our entertainment. However, most people don’t realize that they end up consuming more calories at the movie theater than they do if they went to a fast food restaurant.
One of the side benefits of the new Health Care law is the requirement for chain restaurants with 20 or more US locations (this can include concession stands and grocery stores) to post calorie contents of menu items. Guess who is fighting this new rule – Movie Theater companies. They are afraid that once customers realize they are taking in upwards of 1,400 calories with their large buttery popcorn, they will stop buying and the theaters will lose nearly 25 – 33% of their annual revenue.
While the movie theater companies worry about their bottom line, the waist lines of America keep increasing. Until health is made a priority by business both with consumers and with their employees, the state of health in the US will only get worse.
As the Spike Lee movie says “Do the Right Thing”. Post the calorie counts and let the people decide if they want the small or the large (since many have given up on the medium size). The more information and awareness that consumers are provided, the more likely they are to make responsible choices. Even more shocking would be to see them reduce the serving sizes to something that is truly a single serving and offer fruits and vegetables at the concession stand. Can you see the day when you approach the food stand and you hear, ” I’d like a large stock of broccoli and some carrots along with my green tea”.
[…] update from the post on 3/17/11. The FDA has granted movie theaters an exception to posting calorie counts on their menus. This […]