From October to December 2025, we reviewed digital menus of every restaurant in DC searching for ‘foie gras’, a controversial ingredient made by force-feeding ducks and geese until their liver becomes fatty and diseased.
“To our knowledge, no restaurants have really seen any negative impacts of the ban,” Natalie told me. Every restaurant that was serving foie gras before the ban passed has since stopped, and every one of them is still in business.
A public-opinion poll commissioned by DC Voters for Animals finds overwhelming, cross-ward support for ending the sale of foie gras made by force-feeding birds.
On February 19th, 2026, an independent photojournalist visited Hudson Valley Foie Gras in New York, the largest foie gras factory farm in the country and the #1 supplier to U.S. restaurants and retailers.
From California to Switzerland, communities worldwide are closing the door on foie gras. This guide covers the growing wave of foie gras legislation, revealing which regions have taken action across the globe.
Americans have been advocating to end foie gras for decades. Lobbying and relentless public pressure have steadily pushed foie gras off menus across the country.
Behind every plate of foie gras are workers handling sick birds in dangerous, low-paid conditions. There are farmers exposed to waste and disease, and consumers served food that’s linked to contamination and neurological risk.
Why a once-fashionable “luxury” is quietly losing its grip on restaurants, retailers, and public opinion.
When an industry’s main defense strategy is hiring lawyers instead of explaining their practices, you know they’re hiding something.