hey i went out with some friends yesterday ( went to applebees ) I ordered the bruchetta chicken sandwich ( foccacia bread bruchetta seasoning tomato's nd chicken breast with a small serving of fries ) i picked this based on the calories the menu listed .... but thinking back about it its almost too good to be true all that for 530 calories ? how honest are reasturants with thier calories? because if this is an accurate count they will be seeing more of me !

It's always going to vary depending on preparation - how much oil is left on the grill from previous entrees, how many fries end on the plate, how much sauce gets put on...It isn't like a restaurant kitchen is going to pull out measuring spoons. I'm also pretty sure that their calories on the menu don't include side items (most don't). But they're a good starting place, in my opinion...

I don't really trust applebees calories based on their recent lawsuit. http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...ers+with+fraud

I'm sure most restaurants are like that. There really is no way that each cook is going to use the exact same measurements that were used when the food was tested, so it's always a gamble when you eat out. If the dish you pick ends up having 100 more calories than advertised, I really don't see it as a big deal. The only way that extra 100 calories is going to derail your weight loss efforts is if you eat out daily.