Claims Made By Restaurant Operators

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) works to protect you from misleading practices in restaurants.

As part of that work, we provide information for restauranteurs and food service operators to help them give accurate information to their customers about the food they serve. Any claim made about restaurant food must be true and not misleading.

Most cases of misrepresentation in restaurants and food service facilities involve menu wording. Also, customers can be misled by any of the following:

• signs posted in or outside restaurants
• advertisements (newspaper, internet, radio or television)
• pictures
• statements made by employees

The most common misleading claims in restaurants can be grouped into the following categories:

• place of origin (e.g., "Nova Scotia lobster" when it comes from somewhere else)
• quantity (e.g., "6 ounce glass of red wine " when it is less than 6 ounces)
• method of preparation (e.g., "barbecued meats" when it is cooked in a pan or an oven)
• adulteration/substitution (e.g., "maple syrup" when it is "table syrup")
• quality (e.g., "fresh vegetables" when they are canned or frozen)
• nutrition and diet (e.g., "free of trans fatty acids" when it is not)

Consumers can read more about misleading claims on our website.

Nutrition labelling is not mandatory for most food served in restaurants, but there are guidelines for food service operators who provide it voluntarily.

There are also guidelines on nutrient content claims, like "low in fat" and "trans fat free." The Food and Drug Regulations restrict nutrient content claims that may be made on foods. For example, carbohydrate claims are not included in the regulations, so claims about them are not permitted. That includes claims about "low carbohydrate", "reduced carbohydrates", and "source of carbohydrates".

If you suspect that restaurant food has been misrepresented in an advertisement, on a menu or by restaurant staff, you can contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

You may also be interested in the following:

Restaurant and Food Service Inspection in Canada

Carbohydrate Claims on Foods Sold in Canada