Guides

How to label allergens on a restaurant menu

Guests with food allergies read menus differently: they are looking for reasons not to order something. Clear labels save them time and save your staff a lot of questions. This guide is practical advice, not legal advice. Rules on allergen information differ by country, state and city, so check what applies where you are.

Which allergens to label

Common lists include gluten (wheat), milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish, shellfish and sesame. Many countries add others, such as mustard or celery. Start with the ones your ingredients actually contain and that your local rules name.

Label the dish, not just the ingredient list

“Contains: dairy, egg” next to the dish is easier to act on than a long ingredient list. Don’t forget hidden sources: butter on the bun, egg wash on pastry, soy in a marinade, sesame oil in a dressing.

Diet labels are different

Vegetarian, vegan and spicy describe what a dish is, not a risk. Show them the same way, but keep them visually apart from allergens if you can, so guests scanning for “nuts” aren’t slowed down by “vegan”.

Be careful with “free”

“Gluten-free” and “nut-free” are promises. If dishes share a fryer, a grill or a prep counter, say so instead: “made in a kitchen that also handles nuts”. Labeling what a dish contains is safer than claiming what it doesn’t.

Always point guests to staff

Recipes change and suppliers swap ingredients. Add one line to the menu asking guests with allergies to check with staff before ordering, and make sure staff know where to find the answers.

On a phone menu

A phone menu can do something paper can’t: let guests hide every dish with an allergen they avoid. In QRMenuBoard you tag each dish once and guests can filter the menu themselves. The tags are yours to keep accurate, and the menu reminds guests to ask staff.

Keep the labels current. When a recipe changes, change the tags the same day.