Methodology
How MenuCalories sources, verifies, and updates its data.
Our editorial promise is straightforward: every number on this site comes from a publicly accessible source, and where the source is the restaurant itself, we say so. This page documents how the database is built and refreshed.
Primary sources
The first source for each chain's data is the chain's own legal nutrition disclosure — the PDF or HTML page they publish for the FDA's menu-labeling rule (21 CFR 101.11). For chains operating 20 or more locations, that disclosure is required by federal law, and it is the canonical source of per-item calories, fat, carbohydrates, sodium and the standard FDA allergen panel. Where the chain's disclosure includes ingredient lists, we capture those as well.
We supplement the chain disclosure with values from USDA FoodData Central when the per-item disclosure is incomplete (for example, when fiber is unreported but the dish is built around a bean or grain whose fiber content is reliably known). FDC entries we cite include their canonical FDC ID for traceability.
Update cadence
Casual-dining menus shift seasonally. The chains we track typically refresh entrées twice a year, with smaller limited-time-offer (LTO) changes in between. We re-pull each chain's nutrition disclosure on a rolling 60-day cycle and reconcile it against our published data. Material reformulations get an "updated" stamp on the affected item pages.
What we do not do
- We do not estimate or interpolate calorie counts. If a chain has not published a value, the cell is left blank rather than guessed.
- We do not adjust for "as ordered" modifications (extra cheese, double protein, dressing on the side). The numbers reflect the dish as published.
- We do not make medical recommendations. We surface information; the appropriate use of that information is between you and your doctor or registered dietitian.
Common questions
Why do my receipts sometimes show a different calorie count?
Casual-dining kitchens prep at scale, and per-portion variance — particularly in sauced or fried items — is a known phenomenon. The chain's published number is a target, not a guarantee. Our database reflects the published target.
Why are some dishes missing?
The most common reason is that the chain's published disclosure lists the dish only in a regional menu (e.g. happy-hour-only, or only at certain locations). We tag and publish those when they appear in the public disclosure.
Reference standards we use
- FDA Daily Value reference for % DV calculations.
- 2020-25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans for general dietary context.
- American Heart Association sodium guidance for sodium framing.
- CDC Nutrition resources for general public-health context.
Found an error?
Email the editorial desk via the contact page and reference the URL of the page in question. We respond to corrections in priority order ahead of feature requests.