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.
We have since started oral immunotherapy in order to reduce the severity of reactions. Despite our vigilance we still end up at the ER following a couple of meals from restaurants. 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. My daughter was allergic to a soup that we were assured was allergen-free. We discovered after her reaction that the soup had been prepared with a sesame/olive-oil blend in a co-packing factory. No one on the floor—or even in the kitchen—had been informed. Only after contacting the upper management did we learn the truth.
As a parent, you have responsibilities. restaurant consultantThe experience above was a good wake-up call. Food allergies aren’t a fringe issue – they’re a daily reality for millions. Food allergies are a daily reality for millions of Americans. WaiterWallet). Dine-out can be a tightrope act for these families. Without knowing the ingredients, families are often left to guess. The stakes are high: as much as One in four Almost everyone who eats out has experienced a serious allergic reaction. Half of the population is able to use this website. Source: Kids With Food Allergies)
The need for more restaurant kitchens and school cafeterias is growing.
Allergen safety has become a national priority. By April 2025, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin introduced a 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 when parents send their kids to school they should feel confident that the staff will be able to manage allergies. (Source: Office of Senator Dick Durbin)
Durbin’s initiative, though aimed at schools is a signpost for the entire foodservice industry. Restaurants can’t be far behind if cafeterias are expected to have the same level of vigilance. 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”. Although the Food Code was designed as a guideline and not a law, many states have adopted its recommendations. (Source: Perkins Coie Law FirmRestaurant owners who anticipate the future are smart to realize that what is voluntary today may become mandatory tomorrow.
This would not be the first. Many states have laws governing 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.orgThis often requires measures such as posters displaying allergens in kitchens, menu warnings, or a certified food safety manager on staff.
What was once a patchwork has quickly evolved into a national discussion. Restaurant owners need to pay attention. When senators begin talking about allergy protocols for schools, it’s likely that similar expectations will be set forth in restaurants.
California’s ADDE Act Transparency in the Menu
California is a great place to see the future of restaurant regulations. State lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 68 – the Allergen Disclosure in Dining Establishments. 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). For each menu item, milk, eggs and other dairy products, as well as fish, shellfish or tree nuts, peanuts wheat, soya, and sesame must be clearly labeled. In Europe, this type of menu labeling is commonplace. But it would be a first in the United States.
Data and personal experience are at the heart of the ADDE Act. 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 restaurant meals. 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 is a California State Senator who suffers from severe food allergies. She introduced SB 68 in response to a constituent’s 9-year old daughter, Addie. Addie told Caroline about how difficult it was for her child with allergies to eat out. The message was clear: Diners deserve menus with easy-to-understand 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. This is a valid concern; changing recipes and menus can be a difficult task.
The trend is clear, however: greater disclosure. The ADDE Act is supported by allergy advocacy groups as well as medical organizations, who view it a much-needed safety measure. It has already passed through key committees and now is moving its way through the Legislature. California’s move will likely lead to other states and national chains following suit, even if it is just because the California law would 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
We’ll talk about what happens in the kitchen every day. 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. In an age of distributed supply chain, many restaurants rely heavily on premade sauces, spices mixes, and co-packed products. The label of a dressing, marinade, or other product isn’t always clear. If a vendor changes their formula without warning, how can a chef or line cook know if it contains fish sauce, peanuts, or both?
Front-of-house employees are also on the front line to answer questions from allergic guests. 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 cannot be reached, what can you do if there is a hurry or the chef’s not available when an answer is required? 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. The dish you thought was safe might have changed suppliers and become unsafe this week. This information may not reach every server or line cook.
There is also the daily pressure on the kitchen, which can cause staff to want to pull their own hair out. Chef Kenny Robinson observed that in fine dining “10-15 requests per evening are made by servers to inquire about allergies.” There must be a more effective way than word-of-mouth.
This scenario is not 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. The staff knew about his dairy allergy and the menu did not mention it, but a simple mistake proved fatal. In the subsequent inquest, his parents made a powerful statement. They said that relying solely on verbal assurances is not enough in a restaurant where there are frequent staff rotations and noise. 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
Hospitality leaders and restaurant professionals have a clear message: We can either embrace allergen-safety proactively, or be forced into it. Smart restaurants don’t see new regulations as a burden or a threat, but rather an opportunity to be the first ones to implement them. Food allergy compliance, at its heart, is about taking care of people – the very essence of hospitality. You’re not only avoiding legal risks, but you are also demonstrating that your business cares for the well-being of its guests by getting ahead of trends.
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. Imagine what “gold-standard” allergy safety would look like in the context of a restaurant (many establishments have already set this standard). This means going beyond the minimum. Some examples:
Transparent menu labeling Identify allergens that are present in each item on the menu. You can do this either directly or by creating a separate guide for guests to easily access. 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 Protocols: Establish 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 Communication and Training: Train every member of your team – front and back of house – on food allergy awareness and emergency response. This is not a one-time training. Include it in regular staff meetings and/or annual certifications. Make sure all staff members know the Big 9 Allergens and can recognize signs of an allergic response. They should also understand the protocol to follow if guests say they have allergies. Create a culture in which servers feel confident asking the kitchen for clarification and the kitchen is open to answering questions. 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 Accountability: Maintain a digital database or binder with the most recent ingredients for all products and recipes in your kitchen. It is important to include the “ingredients in the ingredients” when using premade components. 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 a source of pride 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 with allergic children will often talk amongst themselves; an allergy-aware establishment quickly becomes trusted in a world of dangers. A bad reaction can damage a restaurant’s reputation. This is good business, and it’s good ethics.
Remember: allergen safety is a great way to motivate your team. We are all in the hospitality industry because we love people. The mission of hospitality is to keep guests safe. It’s as important as serving great food or creating a beautiful environment. You empower your staff to offer hospitality at a higher level when you train them on allergen protocol. You’re saying Every guest No one should be afraid to eat at your restaurant.
Embracing Solutions and Building Trust
You don’t need to walk the path 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, myself and a pair of experienced tech co-founders are currently working on a solution that will streamline allergen management in hospitality businesses. Our goal is to simplify the process for restaurants in labeling dishes, tracking ingredients and communicating with guests about allergies. 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 isn’t just about laws and avoiding liability. It’s also about trust and security, which are the foundations of hospitality. When an allergic guest sits in your establishment and trusts you with the well-being of their guests, it’s a chance to demonstrate what type of establishment you run. By embracing changes and taking allergies seriously, you show your commitment to guests.
Although I cook a lot at home because of my daughter’s severe food allergies, as a restaurant manager I am required to eat out frequently. I’m a frequent and repeat guest at the restaurants that I know take my concerns about my daughter’s allergies as seriously as I do.
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. By proactively addressing allergen compliance we not only protect our business from risk, but also actively create a more inclusive, safer dining experience for an increasing segment of our local community. This is the type of leadership that elevates hospitality as a whole. It’s a legacy that any restaurant can be proud of.
Author
Melissa Rosen is the Founder and Principal consultant of Be My Guest restaurant consultancy. She is an expert at boosting restaurant sales through branding, franchise-ready concept development, profitable technology partnerships, and diversified revenue strategy.
Melissa offers her clients over 20 years’ experience running small businesses and connections in the industry. She has mastered the full spectrum entrepreneurial endeavors through her career and business innovations. Melissa’s passions for self-employment in restaurants, recipe development, product creation, body autonomy and branding, as well as compassionate management, community involvement, disruptive retail models, and engaging with the local community, are contagious.
She’s been at the forefront in terms of trends and consumer behavior for years. She encourages risk-taking based on carefully researched research, from cloud based POS to third party apps for delivery to healthy vending machine to Bitcoin ATMs. Her expertise is in advising other entrepreneurs how to grow and start their business. She is able to break down big visions and turn them into realistic milestones for her clients by combining her innovative thinking with practical implementation techniques. Melissa is a member of Cayuga Hospitality Consultants.
This article was originally published on Cayuga Hospitality Consultants.
