The Food and Drug Administration released its final guidance on the federal menu-labeling rule and it is expected to publish notice of the guidance in the Federal Register later this week. Compliance and enforcement will start in May 2017, one year after publication. The menu labeling final rule applies to restaurants and similar retail food establishments if they are part of a chain of 20 or more locations, doing business under the same name, and offering for sale substantially the same menu items. The final guidance provides answers to some of the questions the National Restaurant Association and member companies raised after the agency’s September 2015 draft guidance. The NRA we will continue to work with the FDA to address outstanding industry concerns now that there is a set date for compliance. According to the FDA, “This guidance responds to many frequently asked questions that the agency has received to date. It differs from the draft guidance by providing additional examples and new or revised questions and answers on topics such as covered establishments, alcoholic beverages, catered events, mobile vendors, grab-and-go items, and record keeping requirements.” Link to the full text of the final menu labeling guidance here.
FDA releases final menu labeling guidance
