New federal guidelines that mandate the display of nutritional information at all restaurants will begin to take effect this March, but the state of California has already put its own measures into effect to better inform consumers of their calorie counts when eating out.

A state law requiring calorie counts to be displayed at all food franchises and chains with 20 or more stores in California has already gone into effect. Consumers at pizzerias and fast food outlets alike will notice new signage ay every major chain that clearly displays the number of calories of each item on menus across the state. The nutritional information that appears on menus and signs will include the notation "Cal" to show compliance with the new state-level law, however as the federal guidelines begin to take effect, they will supersede California's regulation and the all menus and signage will be changed to reflect the new federal laws at that time.

The new California legislation requires nutritional information including total number of calories be displayed on chain restaurant menus, menu boards, drive-thru widow menus and displays, and on vending machines too. You may not see the new signs all over California just yet though, as some of the state's largest counties including Los Angeles County, will not begin implementation of the new state signage laws in California until the federal guidelines take effect in order to reduce the cost of installing two separate and different types of signs and menus with the first quarter of the year.