Your restaurant menu may dictate the need to display more than one calorie option for a menu item. This rule applies to variable menu items with more than one choice. Examples include a sandwich with a choice of grilled or crispy chicken or a cheeseburger with multiple sides. These situations require the calories for the different options to be given either individually or in a low- to the high-calorie range. 

The question is, do you use a slash or a dash to display the calorie options? Use a slash when there are two options; use a dash when there are three or more options. Let’s look at our two examples.

Slash

Use a forward slash to separate calories when a menu item has two options. If a sandwich offers a choice of grilled or fried, list the calories as Chicken Sandwich, grilled or crispy, 400/550 Cal.

Dash

Use a dash to display the low- and high-calorie range when three or more options are available for a menu item. If a burger comes with a choice of fries, fruit, salad, or chips, list the range as “Cheeseburger with side, 450-625 Cal.”

We’re happy to answer your questions on how to display calories for variable menu items. Contact us.