Chronic Disease Prevention Program

Chain Restaurant Menu Labeling Law

On June 17, 2009, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed into law the Oregon Menu Labeling Act, which is modeled after the menu labeling policy that took effect in Multnomah County in March 2009. The new law requires restaurants with at least 15 or more outlets to post calorie counts on menus, menu boards and drive-through menu boards. It also requires restaurants to provide customers with information about saturated fat, trans fat, carbohydrates and sodium upon request at the point of ordering.

How does this affect the County's labeling rule?

The new state regulation preempts the county’s menu labeling requirements.

When will I see nutrition labeling in restaurants?

The first phase of the Oregon Menu Labeling Act requires chain restaurants to have printed nutrition information available upon customer request, effective January 1, 2010. The second phase of the Oregon Menu Labeling Act requires chain restaurants to have the calories listed on the menus and menu boards, effective January 1, 2011.

For more information see www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/menu/index.shtml

Need help?

Multnomah County’s Chronic Disease Prevention Program, which had been working with restaurants to implement the county’s menu labeling requirements, encourages restaurants in Multnomah County to move forward with menu labeling before January 2011. Restaurants can contact the program at 503-988-4163 to request assistance with nutritional analysis.

Why is this important?

Lawmakers hope that making nutrition information easily available to consumers at the point of ordering will enable them to make healthier choices. Multnomah County was the third jurisdiction in the nation, following King County/Seattle and New York City, to implement menu labeling requirements. Oregon follows Massachusetts and California as the first states to adopt statewide menu labeling requirements. Many jurisdictions across the country are considering similar legislation.

Updated May 13, 2010