In Reply We share the concerns of Ms Sarink and colleagues that calorie menu labeling may have a more positive effect among individuals with higher incomes. We agree that research on menu labeling should investigate the possibility of disparate responses by income.
However, these concerns remain theoretical. Prior studies of calorie labeling, including those cited by Sarink et al, have not demonstrated a clear link between income and response to labeling. For example, Bollinger et al1 found a greater decline in calories per transaction postlabeling in Starbucks restaurants located in higher- vs lower-income zip codes. However, they did not have individual-level income data.