Sometimes you go out to eat and before you arrive at the restaurant you’ve created a mental list of all the options you might enjoy that evening. While walking to the table, the same dishes are dancing around in your head. Then it happens: You have selected a restaurant that displays the calorie count for every item on the menu. Two choices, both considered: Change what you’ve been thinking about or leave. Well, it’s raining outside and on the cold side. You decide to stay, but your comfort level has been waylaid.

In New York City any restaurant that has at least 15 outlets throughout the country must post calories. (Same is true in Oregon, and under consideration in California). No escaping it nationwide if the House of Representatives Health Bill becomes law. Mom and Pop here I come. I have a vague idea of what calories are in foods; I’m just not pleased having them jump out at me from the menu.

Will this effort help with obesity? That depends on a lot of things including the overall economy. Since so much fast food costs around a dollar, it is hard to tell people on limited budgets they must forgo those foods. There are multiple ways to approach obesity issues. Menu posting is one with slim appeal.

Let’s look at some examples from a restaurant meal at a steak house. You thought about the salad wedge with bleu cheese–what, it’s over 900 calories! That’s out the window. No wedge. You then begin to read the menu from the calorie counts rather than the foods themselves and make decisions based on low numbers.

Here are some random startling numbers:

–Calamari, 1200 calories

–Roasted chicken, 1500 calories

–Au Gratin potatoes, 1590 calories

–Lobster Mac ‘N’ Cheese, 1560 calories

–Delmonico Steak, 1090 calories

On the light side:

–Shrimp Cocktail, 200 calories

–Broiled Lobster, 120 calories a pound

–Filet mignon, 370 calories

–Salmon, 440 calories

You have the two extremes: Order what you came in to enjoy or make adjustments based on the information. I wonder if lobster orders have increased while chicken dinners have decreased–let me think 200 v 1500 calories. Hmm. Don’t shoot the messenger; don’t blame the restaurant. They’re just complying with the regulations.

I’m fascinated that the research says posting calories on menus has not impacted decision-making. It impacted my decision: No need to tell me what I know. Let me enjoy myself.

Anyway I came for a steak; so half of my order was not ruined! Did I mention we never looked at the dessert menu. How could we? It would be far too scary.

Let me enjoy myself. Don’t preach.