2 To Accommodate or Not
What does it mean to be a restaurant that accommodates food allergies?
It means that the restaurant has taken the time to identify every major allergen ingredient and their components, that are included in every recipe and method of preparation, of all food and beverage menu items posted and not posted that they produce. This would include the printed menu, online menu and all beverages produced behind the bar. Obviously, this is a very daunting task that takes time and energy away from day-to-day operational tasks. But it can be made manageable by first looking at the menu items that sell the best and finding commonality amongst them.
Through this menu analysis, the restaurant may find it more advantageous to begin by accommodating only one or two of the Major Nine. For example, after looking at the sales data, it may show that most items requested by people with allergens contain both milk and eggs. Based on this information, the restaurant may choose to begin by accommodating those allergens only before attempting to accommodate all nine allergens.
Is there an advantage to being “an accommodating restaurant”? There is no real answer to this question as there is no right or wrong. However, being a restaurant that does accommodate food allergies will widen the customer base, thus increasing sales a potential increase in profit. In addition, becoming an accommodating restaurant will increase your public image and increase word of mouth sales, again potentially resulting in increased sales.
On the flip side, accommodating guests with food allergies and doing it right will take a significant investment both in time and financial resources. This will require menus to be reprinted, recipes reworked, retraining employees in both the kitchen and dining room, and special attention to ingredients being ordered. In addition, specific small equipment such as pots, pans, utensils, chinaware and flatware, along with specific large equipment need to be ordered. All of this, along with specific areas of the kitchen needing to be designated “allergen free,” may be too much for the operation to sustain.
It should be noted that at the writing of this document, there is no legislation that states a commercial food and beverage operation must accommodate any guest with a known food allergy. However, the dining world has changed; the guest has become more demanding, and competition has come in the most unlikely places.
Yes, it will be an investment, but to accommodate the guest with food allergies, and to do it correctly, that investment may be the change the operation needs to be more competitive and sustainable well into the future.
All of that said, the purpose of this document is to focus primarily on the daily operations of the dining room and guest interactions, rather than kitchen functions or protocols.
NOTE: references will be provided at the end of the document that address the kitchen and entire back of the house functions.
