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Eating Out 

Enjoying restaurant meals with friends, family, or as part of a special occasion doesn’t have to be off limits just because you or your child have a food allergy.  With the right planning and preparation, eating out can still be an enjoyable part of your life.  Here are some tips for dining out safely.

Before You Go
At the Restaurant
Tips for Food Service Professionals

Before You Go

• Check the menu in advance.  Thanks to the Internet, it’s easier now than ever before to get restaurant menus—you can download the menu from a restaurant’s own Web site, or check out  dining sites, which post menus from a wide range of restaurants.  Reviewing the menu first is a good way to determine if the restaurant may be a good choice. 
• Call ahead.   Communication is key.  It is especially important if you will be attending an event that is catered, since the food will be prepared in advance. Call before or after the busy meal time hours (for instance, between 2PM and 4 PM).  The chef and other restaurant staff will have more time to work with you.
• Bring a Food Allergy Restaurant Card.  This is a business-sized card that lists your food allergies and states that your food must be cooked in a clean and safe area to avoid cross-contamination. You can find sample cards in several languages in our Resources and Downloads section. 
• Be prepared.   Regardless of how carefully you have planned, or how safe you feel at a particular restaurant, never leave home without your emergency medications, and wear your medical identification jewelry.
• Avoid the riskiest restaurants. Some types of eateries are higher allergen risks than others, so you would do well to avoid these from the start. 

Buffets:  Since there is usually such a wide variety of foods so close to one another, the risk for accidental exposure and cross-contamination is high.
Bakeries:   There is a high risk of airborne allergens, particularly for people with wheat allergy, and bakeries also put you at risk for cross-contamination.
Restaurants that serve pre-made foods:  The restaurant staff may not have an accurate list of the ingredients in a pre-made item.  Also, since the dishes are not prepared from scratch, you can’t ask the chef to remove the problem ingredient from an item that would otherwise be safe to eat.
Restaurants that use problem ingredients in most dishes.   For instance, peanuts and other nuts are used frequently in Asian cooking.  If you are allergic to milk, you wouldn’t stop at the local ice-cream shop, and of course, you have to avoid seafood restaurants if you are allergic to shellfish.  For more information about problem cuisines, check out our Food Allergy Quick Reference.  

• Do some local research.  There are a variety of resources available on the Internet that may list allergy-friendly restaurants in your area.  Ask you allergist for recommendations and talk to other families about where they have had success. 
• Carry a bag of pasta or other safe food from home.   Most restaurants should be willing to make an accommodation such as boiling water and cooking pasta, or heating a safe meal.

 At the Restaurant

• Ask to be seated far from the kitchen.  This will help you to avoid airborne allergens from cooking and preparing food.
• Talk to EVERYONE.   The hostess, restaurant manager, and wait staff should be clear about your food allergy.  Ask that your food allergy card be shown to the chef.  Never be embarrassed if you feel you’re not communicating effectively.  If the wait staff doesn’t seem to understand
• your situation, always trust your gut and seek out another staff member or manager.  If you think you can’t get a safe meal, don’t hesitate to leave.
• Ask what is in your dish and how it’s prepared.   Make sure your server understands what you are allergic to, and explain that cross-contamination must be avoided.  You may want to request to speak to the chef or the manager just to be sure.  Know what procedures a restaurant should take to keep your food safe. 
• Keep it simple.   If you have to ask a lot of complicated questions about the items on a menu, ordering more simple fare—like a baked potato or steamed vegetables—may be the safest way to go.
• Avoid fried foods.   Both the grill and the frying oil are ripe for cross-contamination; it is best to avoid fried foods unless you know for sure that they are prepared properly.
• Save dessert for home.  Many restaurants do not make their own desserts, but rather order them from other specialty shops.  Desserts are major sources of hidden allergens, and the restaurant staff may not be able to provide a complete list of ingredients. 
• Reward excellent service and build a relationship.    If you have a comfortable and successful experience at a restaurant, go back.  If you do, you'll probably get to know the chef and restaurant staff and you'll find that they are even more willing to take good care of you. Tip your server well for providing an excellent dining experience.

Tips for Food Service Professionals
If you own or work in a restaurant or if the owner of your favorite eatery wants to learn more about allergy-free cooking, you can download a comprehensive training program, free of charge.  Welcoming Guests with Food Allergies teaches staff to safely prepare and serve food for food-allergic guests.  Developed by the National Restaurant Association and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network with support from FAI, this 60-page guide includes case studies, best practices, up-to-date research, food labeling information, and practical strategies for avoiding cross contact, as well as suggested procedures for keeping guests safe and steps to prepare for an allergic emergency.

 For more tips for professionals, click here.