Restaurants in the future will be allergy-safe.
Approximately five years ago, when my daughter was just two years old, we confirmed through allergist testing that she had multiple severe food allergies—cashews, pistachios, sesame seeds, peas, and lentils. Some of these allergies would cause immediate and intense stomach distress, but others carried a graver risk. Anaphylaxis.
Since then, we have pursued oral immune therapy to reduce the risk of severe reactions. However, despite our vigilance and heightened awareness, we still find ourselves rushing to ERs after a few restaurant meals. In nearly every instance, the culprit wasn’t an obvious allergen—it was something hidden: a blended oil, a co-packed sauce, or an off-site manufactured item that staff were unaware contained allergens.
One particularly alarming incident involved a well known Italian restaurant brand with over $500,000,000 in revenue annually. After my daughter had a reaction, we were told that a certain soup was allergen free. However, it turned out to be made in a third party co-packing plant with sesame/olive blend. No one on the floor—or even in the kitchen—had been informed. Only after we spoke to upper management did we learn the truth.
As a mother or father, it is important to understand your role. restaurant consultantThe experience above was a good wake-up call. Food allergies aren’t a fringe issue – they’re a daily reality for millions. According to estimates, 32 million Americans (including 1 in 13 kids) suffer from food allergies. WaiterWallet). Dining out can be stressful for these families. If they don’t know what the ingredients are, it’s hard to tell which foods are safe. The stakes could not be higher: One in four Nearly every restaurant has had a severe allergic reaction. Half-off Source: Kids With Food Allergies)
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The need for more restaurant kitchens and school cafeterias is growing.
Allergen safety has become a national priority. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin presented the bipartisan Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act To establish uniform food allergies protocols in school cafeterias. This legislation would ensure school food service personnel receive annual training on food allergies – preparing them to prevent and respond to allergic reactions. Durbin stated that parents who send their children to school deserve to know that staff will be able to manage allergies. (Source: Office of Senator Dick Durbin)
Durbin’s initiative may be aimed at the schools, but it is an indicator for the food service industry as a whole. Can restaurants follow suit if we demand such vigilance from every cafeteria? It’s official: food allergy safety has become a public requirement. The FDA Food Code 2022, which was updated in 2018, requires that restaurants and food retailers provide written notices of the major allergens found in their foods. The FDA states that customers with allergies rely on establishments to provide allergen information “verbally or in writing”. The Food Code is not a law but merely a guideline. However, the majority of states will adopt its recommendations over time. (Source: Perkins Coie Law FirmRestaurant operators who are forward-thinking know that today’s voluntary practices could become mandatory in the future.
This wouldn’t make it the first time. There are already laws in place for restaurant allergy safety. Massachusetts pioneered allergen-awareness regulations more than ten years ago. Five states – including Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Virginia – now have laws to make dining out safer for people with food allergies. (Source: FoodAllergy.orgThey often require such measures as allergen warning posters in the kitchen, menu advisories or having on staff a certified manager of food protection trained in allergen safety.
What was once a patchwork has quickly evolved into a national discussion. Restaurant owners are advised to keep an eye on the news: when senators talk about allergy protocols at schools, they may be preparing for similar expectations in restaurants.
California’s ADDE Act – Transparency at the Menu
California has a look at the future in terms of restaurant regulation. State lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 68 – the Allergen Disclosure in Dining Establishments Act. If this law is passed, it would force every Californian restaurant to list on their menus the 9 most important food allergens. (Source: Kids With Food Allergies). Each menu item would have to clearly identify milk, eggs, shellfish and tree nuts as well as wheat, sesame, soy and sesame. The United States would be the first country to enact a law requiring the labeling of all menu items.
Adopting the ADDE Act was both data-driven as well as personal. California is estimated to have 2.5 million food allergic people. We’ve seen how transparency is crucial: almost half of food allergy deaths nationwide can be traced to a meal at a restaurant. In one recent case, a 34-year-old woman in Los Angeles died after eating something she was allergic to at a catered event – a tragedy advocates believe could have been prevented with clearer allergen info. Caroline Menjivar of California, who has severe food allergies, introduced SB68 after hearing how difficult it was for a 9 year old constituent to eat out with her allergies. Their message was straightforward: Diners should be able to easily navigate menus for allergens. (Source: Kids With Food Allergies)
Not everyone is on board initially – some in the restaurant industry voice concern that redesigning menus and tracking allergens for every dish adds yet another burden on an already challenging business (Source EaterSF). California Restaurant Association argues that independent restaurants may find implementation costly or burdensome. These concerns are valid. Changing menus and recipe is not an easy task.
The trend is clear, however: greater disclosure. Allergy groups and medical associations support the ADDE Act, which they see as a much-needed safety measure. The bill has passed key committees, and is now moving through the legislative process. California’s move will likely lead to other states and national chains following suit, even if it is just because the California law will set a new standard. Few brands would print different allergen-friendly food menus in California and the rest of the nation.
Inside the Kitchen: An Allergen Challenge No One Sees
Let’s not get distracted by laws and regulations. Instead, let’s focus on the reality of restaurant kitchens. The frantic pace of service can make it difficult for even the best-intentioned staff to ensure allergen safety. One big challenge is unseen ingredients – those hidden or secondary ingredients that aren’t obvious even to experienced chefs. Many restaurants depend on pre-made products, such as spice mixes or pre-packaged sauces. How can a sous-chef or line cook tell if, for example, there are traces of peanuts in a dressing or marinade jug? Or if the vendor’s recipe changes without warning?
Staff at the front of house are facing a barrage of questions from guests with allergies. A guest wants to know if a particular dish contains dairy, nuts, or gluten. Does the server know all of the ingredients by heart? If the chef is not available, or if you are in a hurry, it is best to ask the server. It is all too common that not all restaurant staff are aware of allergens in each dish. This is especially true if the communication within the restaurant occurs ad-hoc.
In our industry, high staff turnover can make it difficult to maintain consistency in knowledge. It’s possible that a dish which was safe the week before might switch suppliers quietly this week, making it no longer safe. And news of such a change may not always reach all servers and line cooks.
The daily stress on kitchen staff can make them want to pull out their hair. In fine dining, Kenny Robinson observed that servers inquire about allergies 10-15 times per evening. There must be a more effective way than word-of-mouth.
This type of scenario isn’t just hypothetical. In 2017, a teenager in the U.K. tragically died after eating a restaurant meal he was told was safe for his dairy allergy – only to discover too late that the grilled chicken had been marinated in buttermilk. A simple mistake led to his death. He told the staff about his allergy, the menu didn’t mention dairy, but the miscommunication was fatal. In the inquest, his family made an important statement: “relying on verbal confirmations in a chaotic, noisy restaurant with frequent staff changes is simply not good enough”. The family demanded clear allergen labels on each dish. (Source: People Magazine)
This is a reminder that a simple misunderstanding or an unreported ingredient can be fatal. The operational stress on restaurant teams is immense when this information isn’t systematically managed — chefs, managers, and servers are essentially playing an ongoing game of telephone about ingredients, with a person’s safety on the line each time.
Leading the change, don’t chase it
The message for hospitality professionals and restaurant leaders is clear: either we embrace allergen safety proactively or we will be forced to. Instead of viewing new regulations as an obstacle or burden, restaurants that are savvy see it as an opportunity. Food allergy compliance, at its heart, is about taking care of people – the very essence of hospitality. By being ahead of the game, you not only avoid legal risk but also differentiate your business by showing that you care about guests.
Now is the time to build allergy protocols into your operations – before you’re backed into it by law or, worse, by a preventable incident. Think about what the “gold standard” of allergy safety in a restaurant looks like (many restaurants are already pioneering these practices). This means going beyond the minimum. Some examples:
- Menus with transparent labelsDon’t make diners play detective – spell it out. Don’t make diners play detective – spell it out. Let people know if a sauce is made with fish or a dessert in a facility that uses nuts. This helps to build trust and avoid dangerous assumptions.
- Clear Kitchen ProtocolsEstablish standard operating procedures to handle allergy orders.
* Chefs can designate a separate prep area or cutting board for allergen-free meals and use color-coded utensils that never mix with common prep.
* Fryers and oils should be segregated when possible (e.g., don’t fry the gluten-free fries in the same oil as breaded onion rings).
* When an allergy ticket comes in, maybe only one cook handles that dish from start to finish, as some kitchens practice, to reduce confusion. Consistency is key – the whole team should know the drill for an allergy-safe order. - Staff Training, Communication and Education: Train every member of your team – front and back of house – on food allergy awareness and emergency response. It’s not a one-time training. Include it in your regular staff meetings and/or annual certifications. Be sure that everyone is familiar with the Big 9 allergens, understands how to recognize an allergic reaction and the protocol for when a guest declares an allergy. Create an environment where servers are comfortable asking questions and double-checking the answers with the kitchen. Also, appoint a point person each shift who is extra-knowledgeable on allergens – someone who can confidently answer questions or liaise with guests as needed.
- Ingredient AccountabilityKeep an updated ingredient binder, or digital database of all your recipes and products. It is important to include the “ingredients inside the ingredients” of any premade component. You should keep the ingredient list of any new marinade you use from a supplier. Vendors should be part of this conversation – ask your suppliers for allergen info and updates whenever they change a formulation. Encourage your staff to alert you if someone in the kitchen changes a recipe, or replaces an ingredient. (And update the allergen information accordingly.) This is a lot of work, but it will prevent unpleasant surprises.
Restaurants can turn allergy compliance from an issue into something they are proud of by implementing these steps. Many establishments that have adopted robust allergy protocols report that it actually streamlines service in the long run – staff aren’t left scrambling when an allergic guest comes in, because everyone knows the playbook.
More importantly, it increases customer loyalty. Parents of allergic children, for example, will talk with each other. A truly allergy-aware restaurants quickly becomes a safe haven in an environment full of risk. A bad reaction can damage a restaurant’s reputation. To be on top of this problem is just good business.
Remember: allergen safety is a great way to motivate your team. We are all in the hospitality industry because we love people. As important as providing great food and a beautiful atmosphere, keeping guests safe is a core part of the mission. You empower your staff to offer hospitality at a greater level when you train them on allergen protocol. You’re saying Every guest It is important that no one has to be in fear of their lives when they eat at your establishment.
Embracing Solutions and Building Trust
It’s not necessary to go it alone. There is a growing ecosystem of resources to help restaurants overcome these challenges. The National Restaurant Association offers ServSafe Allergens Training; advocacy groups such as FARE offer toolkits to restaurants. Technology is stepping up too – from digital menu platforms that can automatically flag allergens to inventory systems that track ingredient changes. Chef Kenny is working with me to create a solution for hospitality businesses to manage allergens. We want to make it easy for restaurants to label food, track ingredients and communicate with customers about allergens. This isn’t a sales pitch – it’s an acknowledgement that industry-wide, smart minds are tackling this problem. Early adopters can expect to see a reduction in the difficulty of implementing allergy-friendly practices.
Food allergy compliance is not just about laws and avoiding liability. It’s also about trust and safety – the foundations of hospitality. When an allergic guest entrusts their well-being to you, it’s a chance for you to demonstrate what type of establishment you run. By taking allergies and the upcoming changes seriously, you show your commitment to the guest.
Although I cook most of my meals at home because of my daughter’s severe food allergies, as a restaurant manager I am required to dine out frequently. I am a regular guest in restaurants I trust and that are aware of my daughter’s food allergies.
In closing, remember that regulations like the ADDE Act or Senator Durbin’s school protocols are not about burdening restaurants – they’re about saving lives and including everyone at the table. We thrive on making people welcome. As food allergy awareness rises, the most welcoming thing we can do is ensure that every guest – no matter their dietary restriction – knows they’ll be taken care of. We don’t only protect our businesses, but we also create a safer and more inclusive dining environment for a growing section of our community by getting ahead of the allergen compliance. It’s this kind of leadership which elevates the hospitality industry. This is the legacy that every restaurant should strive to create.
