Recent legislation has passed requiring the restaurant industry to provide nutritional information about their menu items. This legislation requirement is actually a positive step for both customers and restaurant owners. This law will help chefs understand the nutritional impact of their dishes and therefore enable them to become more competitive in creating healthful and delicious foods (Elder, 2009). By providing nutritional information for their menu items, restaurants will allow customers to make informed, healthy choices about the foods they consume. The Federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act has required mandatory labeling of all packaged goods sold in the USA and intended for purchase by consumers for years. Studies have shown that almost 50% of adult consumers report that they do look at nutrition labels to compare fat, carbohydrate, salt, and sugar amounts. Often this will cause the consumer to change their food purchasing habits opting for a healthier choice even if it costs more money. Nutrition labeling in restaurants will provide customers with the same opportunity and responsibility to choose what they wish to eat (Elder, 2009).
Local Produce Food and Beverage managers are always looking for ways to use fresh food and to try to cut costs. By using locally grown food helps due this, it also keeps business in the area instead of having everything delivered from out of state. There several