A quick diagnostic for restaurant operators. If you can't answer all five confidently, your allergen process has gaps.
1. Where does your allergen information come from?
If the answer is "supplier labels" or "chef knowledge", that's a warning sign. Supplier labels can be incomplete or out of date, and chefs might overlook hidden allergens in compound ingredients.
What good looks like
Allergen management software with automated detection based on a dish's actual ingredients. Having allergen tagging overseen by registered dieticians and allergists takes the responsibility off your chefs — and removes the guesswork.
2. When a recipe changes, what happens to your allergen info?
If the answer is "someone updates a spreadsheet", how confident are you that it happens every time? Every location? Every shift?
What good looks like
Recipe changes trigger automatic allergen recalculation. The update flows through to guest-facing menus and staff tools without anyone remembering to do it.
3. How long does it take a new server to answer allergen questions confidently?
If the answer is "months" or "they always ask the manager or chef", that adds up. It's a time sink for senior staff and it erodes guest trust — because the guest can tell when the server isn't sure.
What good looks like
With the right system, front-of-house can answer queries in seconds. No memorisation required. They simply look it up. A confident server makes a confident guest.
4. Can guests check allergens themselves, or do they have to ask?
If guests have to flag down a server every time, you're creating friction for both sides. Some guests won't ask at all — they'll just leave, or take a risk.
What good looks like
QR code on the table. Guest scans, filters by their allergens, and sees exactly what they can eat. No conversation needed unless they want one.
5. How do you handle a guest whose allergy falls outside the regulated 14?
If your allergen data is limited to the 14 regulated allergens, you're leaving guests unsupported. Not every allergy or intolerance fits neatly into those categories, and "we only track the regulated ones" isn't an answer that builds trust.
What good looks like
Ingredient-level information that goes beyond compliance. Whether it's a food allergy, sensitivity, dietary preference, or simply a dislike — your staff should be able to respond with accuracy and confidence about whether a dish is safe and what can be omitted.
Bonus: the audit question
If Trading Standards asked for your allergen documentation tomorrow, how long would it take to produce?
If the answer is "a few hours of digging", that's a risk. What good looks like: one click. Full audit trail. Every recipe, every ingredient, every allergen determination — timestamped and exportable.