Restaurant chains must now list the calorie content of the food they sell IN JANUARY New York became the first American city to pass a law requiring restaurant chains to state the number of calories in everything on their menus, right down to the last pretzel. Full enforcement of the new rules began last month. Other cities and counties have since followed. Los Angeles is expected to vote on its own law within the next two weeks. California, meanwhile, is considering a statewide bill. Fans of menu labelling say it helps consumers, who tend to underestimate the calories in the food they buy. Critics say it is another step towards a nanny state. Companies complain that it is costly to reprint menus, and the National Restaurant Association says restaurants will find it difficult to meet a