Two of the lesser-known provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act require that chain restaurants list calories on menus and menu boards; and that calories also be declared for foods sold in vending machines.
In December 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued final rules implementing these provisions. The menu labeling rule replaces a patchwork of state and local requirements—such as those in California, New York City and Philadelphia—so that consumers now have access to uniform information and restaurants will have a single standard with which to comply.