By: Jeremy Spiegel
Photo by Sarah Hogue
Diners trying to heat healthy at the new restaurants opening by the Varsity in north College Park will have to make more conscientious decisions than usual.
A 2009 bill passed by the Maryland State Legislature requires fast-food restaurants in Maryland to display the calorie count in the food they serve. Therefore, customers at places like Chipotle, Noodles & Company and Dominos have known the health risks of any food they ate for the past three years.
However, the new restaurants opening up are not considered fast-food restaurants. Therefore, they are under no requirement to post the health information of their meals.
Toni Wallis, a cashier at Bobby’s Burger Palace, said the restaurant did not even have a calorie guide to offer to customers. “I wish we did, so I knew how many calories were in our food,” she said.
Despite the lack of a calorie menu, there are several tips customers can use to eat healthier. One of the trademarks of Bobby’s signature burgers is the option to “crunchify” any burger, meaning to add potato chips. Although the chips may improve the taste, they also add between 100 and 200 calories per meal.
Another option is to order a hamburger on a bed of lettuce instead of a bun. Bobby’s Burgers covers their buns in sesame seeds, which are high in calories. According to caloriecount.com, one sesame seed bun contains 170 calories. Ordering a burger “topless” can save unnecessary calories while still offering the same taste.
Looney’s Pub also does not offer a calorie menu. Looney’s offers traditional bar food like hamburgers, wings and sandwiches, and local favorites such as crab cakes.
For those looking for healthy options, Looney’s dedicates a page on their menu to salads. All salads are served with local produce according to general manager Nick Creed. In addition, Looney’s offers a variety of deli meats for diners looking for an alternative to hamburgers and wings.
“Looney’s food is really good, and they offer healthier alternatives then Bentley’s and Cornerstone,” said sophomore behavioral and community health major Josh Snider.
Over the next year, many more restaurants will join Bobby’s Burger Palace and Looney’s on Route 1. These include Pizza Authentica, Tex-Mex food at Austin Grill, ChiDoGo’s Hot Dogs and Royal Farms, which serves locally produced chicken, sandwiches and salads.
Although none of these venues appear to offer the healthiest of choices, students who desire can still make smart choices by looking at the menu and making sacrifices.
