Interesting New York Times article on the actual effect of the calorie listings in NYC.
It [an NYU study] found that about half the customers noticed the calorie counts, which were prominently posted on menu boards. About 28 percent of those who noticed them said the information had influenced their ordering, and 9 out of 10 of those said they had made healthier choices as a result.
What’s interesting is that just a few weeks ago someone mentioned a similar (maybe the same) study to me and said that what was also found was that if you anchored the calories with the suggested daily intake for adults the numbers went way down. The problem is a lack of anchoring.