One of the reasons they speculate that people ignore calorie counts at restaurants, movie theaters, etc, is that it's just a "treat," so it's OK. Except when you eat out 5 days out of 7, it's not a special occasion any more.

I always figured the numbers (if you bothered to look them up online... I would love for them to put them in the menu!) were just ballpark figures since, as you said, portion size can vary a fair amount, and one chef may go a little heavier or lighter on the cream, sour cream, butter, cheese, whatever...

We eat out every Friday night (family dinner) and there are some times that I just get what I want, but most of the time, I do take the potential calorie content into consideration and if we are going somewhere that I have never been before, I check the nutritional content, if available, online. I wish more nice restaurants would provide nutritional info!

Nice restaurants? Like with napkins and such?

Grim,

I have heart this before. I love eating out with my DH, but I am extremely careful what I get. Thanks for your post.

Robin

Calories count on any food is just general sugestion... There has been studies after studies to show the current numbers are off. 

And steak places put BUTTER on your steak before sending it out to make it look more juicy and taste better.

In HS, I worked in a greasy spoon and they would literally LADLE butter onto the grill.

I like real butter. I eat real butter, but I dont use LADLES of it at a shot...

Just saying.