Is marking allergens mandatory?

In many countries, yes, and even where it is not, it is good practice and important for guest safety. Check the requirements in your country.

How can I mark them more easily?

A digital menu lets you set the allergens once for each item and display them as icons, without writing them out each time.

What if I am not sure about a dish?

Do not guess. Check the recipe or ask the chef, and tell the guest accurately.

Allergens on the restaurant menu: what to mark

For a guest with an allergy, the information on the menu is not a convenience, it is safety. A menu that shows allergens clearly protects the guest and the restaurant too.

The main allergens

The European Union recognises 14 main allergens that must be declared. It is a good idea to use the same list on your menu:

Cereals containing gluten, molluscs and crustaceans
Eggs, fish and peanuts
Soy, milk and tree nuts
Celery, mustard and sesame
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and lupin

Mark every dish, not just some

A guest with an allergy should not have to guess. For every item mark the allergens it contains, or state clearly that it has none. A small icon next to the dish is usually enough.

Update it when the recipe changes

A changed recipe, a new supplier or a different sauce can add an allergen. Every recipe change must also be reflected in the menu. In a digital menu you change it in seconds.

Staff must know how to answer

Waiters should be able to say what a dish contains or ask the kitchen, and never guess. An answer of “I am not sure, I will ask” is safer than a wrong one.

Cross-contamination

Even if a dish does not contain an allergen, it can come into contact with it while cooking. State clearly if the kitchen cannot guarantee a dish is 100% allergen-free, so the guest can decide with the information.

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Frequently asked questions

Is marking allergens mandatory?: In many countries, yes, and even where it is not, it is good practice and important for guest safety. Check the requirements in your country.
How can I mark them more easily?: A digital menu lets you set the allergens once for each item and display them as icons, without writing them out each time.
What if I am not sure about a dish?: Do not guess. Check the recipe or ask the chef, and tell the guest accurately.