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If you’ve spotted a tiny white spoon inside a black triangle next to your soda or combo meal lately, that’s not a new McFlurry flavor. It’s a warning. As of October 2025, chain restaurants across New York City are required to post this “sugar spoon” symbol next to menu items that contain more than 50 grams of added sugar, the entire daily recommended limit.
The policy, part of the city’s Sweet Truth Act, makes New York the first U.S. city to require added-sugar warnings on restaurant menus. The new law applies to about 4,000 restaurants that are part of chains with 15 or more locations nationwide, including McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Shake Shack and Dunkin’.
“Every New Yorker deserves access to delicious, healthy food that they feel good about eating,” acting health commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said in a statement. “Just one large sugary drink can exceed the daily recommended amount of added sugars.”
The small spoon joins the city’s existing sodium and calorie labels, creating a trifecta of nutritional transparency. It’s meant to alert diners that certain items—especially fountain sodas and sweetened drinks—can contain more sugar than most people realize.
“This law empowers diners to make informed choices about what they’re eating and drinking,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine in an official statement.
But the Sweet Truth Act didn’t happen overnight. Mayor Eric Adams signed it in late 2023 after years of advocacy from the City Council, health professionals and the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
“With the legislation signed today, New Yorkers soon will be able to see at a glance that their fountain soda or combo meal has more than a whole day’s worth of added sugars,” said DeAnna Nara of CSPI back in 2023.
Still, early reports from Gothamist found that many customers haven’t noticed the new icons or admitted they wouldn’t change their orders even if they had.
“Noticing it is step number one because it won't have an impact unless someone notices it,” said NYU’s Pasquale Rummo, who is studying the law’s effects, in an official statement.
Starting in 2026, restaurants that don’t comply face fines of $200. Whether the little sugar spoon changes habits remains to be seen but, for now, it’s a quiet reminder that what looks like an innocent soda might already have your whole day’s sugar quota inside.