By Adrian Johansen, Contributor

Food allergies are a serious hazard to restaurant guests. An allergic reaction can put a guest's life in danger. It can also ruin a restaurant's reputation and result in lawsuits.

Creating an allergy-safe environment for your guests can seem impossible. However, there are some guidelines restaurants can follow to keep guests happy and safe.

Do Restaurants Have to Provide Food Allergy Guidelines?

Thick chocolate brownies with a 'contains nuts' sign stuck into one.

Restaurants are not legally required to provide food allergy warnings. Yet doing so can make a world of difference for a restaurant and its guests.

Informing guests about food allergens shows a restaurant cares about its clientele. The restaurant can share food allergy warnings with its guests. From here, guests can avoid certain menu items as needed.

A restaurant can also avoid customer service issues if it is upfront and honest about food allergy guidelines. For example, a guest may fake a food allergy in the hopes of getting a complimentary meal from a restaurant. Or, a guest may create a scene in an attempt to embarrass a restaurant that does not accommodate patrons coping with food allergies. In such instances, the restaurant can suffer brand reputation damage.

By providing food allergy warnings, a restaurant can take care of its customers. The restaurant can explain if certain dishes may trigger an allergic reaction in certain guests, allowing their guests to make informed dining selections.

A restaurant can also provide delicious appetizers, meals, and desserts for guests dealing with common food allergies. For example, a restaurant can develop a gluten-free menu or mark when menu items contain gluten. This helps guests dealing with gluten intolerance avoid dishes that contain gluten that can cause fatigue, excessive bloating, and other symptoms.

What Food Allergy Guidelines Does Your Restaurant Need to Follow?

A restaurant meal with a 'gluten free' sign stuck into it.

There are several tried-and-true food allergy guidelines that restaurants can follow. These are:

1. Provide Your Guests with Food Allergy Warnings

Create an allergen statement for your menu. The statement alerts guests of allergens in the kitchen, including the "Big 8" allergens.

Offer ingredient lists for menu items. If a guest requests an ingredient list, you'll be able to provide one to them at any time.

Develop a special menu for guests dealing with certain allergies. This opens the door to expanding your menu and engaging with more customers than ever before.

When you create a special menu, consider your clientele. For instance, you may find your current menu includes many dishes that contain ingredients that can trigger acid reflux. In this instance, you can craft a menu with good options for people dealing with acid reflux. You can then print out copies of this menu and provide it to guests dealing with acid reflux at their convenience.

2. Teach Your Staff About Food Allergies

Educate your staff about food allergies and the dangers associated with them. The training can teach staff members about common food allergies and their respective symptoms. Plus, it can help staff members identify ingredients that can cause food allergy symptoms and the warning signs of an allergic reaction.

Create an employee training program for food allergies and keep it up to date. Collect feedback regarding your training program from employees. This ensures you can provide workers with food allergy training that consistently meets their expectations.

3. Keep the Lines of Communication Open Among Staff

Make it easy for staff members to relay information about guest food allergies to one another. Communication systems are available to help restaurant staff members do just that.

You can deploy a system that lets a waiter or waitress immediately alert back-of-house staff if a customer mentions they have a food allergy. This ensures a chef can prepare the customer's meal without putting this individual at risk.

Along with a communication system, staff members should maintain ongoing communication regarding guest food allergies. In doing so, they can minimize the risk of order mistakes that otherwise cause a guest to experience food allergy symptoms.

4. Set Up a Dedicated Space for Preparing Food for Food-Allergic Guests

Establish a separate area for creating dishes for food-allergic guests. This limits the risk that these guests can come into contact with any ingredients that can result in an allergic reaction.

The separate area should be properly maintained. Following a work shift, the area must be thoroughly cleaned.

5. Notify Your Guests

Create a written plan to inform your customer about the steps your restaurant is taking to keep them safe against food allergies. You can publish posters about your food allergy measures and post them in the front of your restaurant. Also, you can include information on your website about what you are doing to protect food-allergic guests. You can encourage guests to share any questions or concerns about your restaurant's food allergy measures, too.

Strive for constant improvement when it comes to accommodating food-allergic patrons. Keep an eye out for opportunities to get better about guest food allergies. This allows you to capitalize on opportunities to provide food-allergic guests with a comprehensive menu that helps your restaurant stand out from its rivals.