Before you start

• •An updated allergen menu showing all dishes flagged for the top 9 allergens
• •Designated 'allergy-clean' tools and a clean prep area on the line
• •Manager approval required before any allergy plate leaves the line

The procedure

Step-by-step, in order. Each step has the action and the reason it matters.

1. 1

   Server: re-state the allergy back to the guest

   When a guest mentions an allergy, repeat it back verbatim: 'So you have a tree nut allergy — that includes almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios. Is that right?' Get explicit confirmation.

   Why: Most allergy mistakes start with a misheard word. Verbal confirmation catches them before the order is placed.

2. 2

   Server: enter the allergy in the POS as ALLERGY, not 'no x'

   Use the POS allergy modifier, not a free-text 'no nuts' note. ALLERGY tags fire a different ticket color and trigger the line protocol. 'No nuts' looks like a preference and gets normal handling.

   Why: POS allergy flags trigger automatic tracking. Free text gets ignored when the line is busy.

3. 3

   Server: notify a manager before the ticket fires

   Walk to the manager. Say 'Table 14, tree nut allergy, ordered the X.' Manager says 'on it' or comes to verify. Server does not fire the ticket until the manager has acknowledged.

   Why: Manager-in-the-loop is the single highest-impact step. It's a 10-second pause that has saved more than one ER trip.

4. 4

   Line: switch tools and station

   Allergy ticket = clean cutting board, clean knife, clean pan, fresh gloves. Pull from sealed prep, not the line bus tub. Cook the dish on the dedicated allergy station if you have one, or wipe down a section of the line and cook there.

   Why: Cross-contact is a real cause of ER trips. Switching tools is the only reliable defense.

5. 5

   Expo: separate plate, separate tray, separate cover

   Allergy plate gets a covered tray and goes out separately from the rest of the table's food. Server delivers it to the named guest only.

   Why: Mixing plates on the run-out tray is how an allergy plate ends up in front of the wrong guest.

6. 6

   Server: deliver, confirm, watch the first bite

   Hand the plate directly to the named guest. Restate the allergy: 'This is your tree-nut-free plate.' Watch them take the first bite if you can — sometimes they realize they ordered wrong and you can pull it.

   Why: Direct hand-off and verbal confirmation make the allergy visible to the guest, the server, and any nearby manager.

7. 7

   If anything looks wrong, stop and re-cook

   If the line, the expo, or the server has any doubt about whether a plate is allergy-safe, the manager makes the call to re-cook. There is no penalty for re-cooking. There is a massive penalty for not re-cooking.

   Why: The 'I'm not sure' moment is the single best predictor of an allergy incident. Train staff to escalate.

Verify when done

• ☐All allergy tickets entered with the POS allergy flag, not free text
• ☐Manager acknowledged every allergy ticket before it fired
• ☐Allergy plates delivered separately and directly to the named guest
• ☐Zero allergy incidents in the shift log

Common mistakes

• ✕Free-text 'no nuts' note in the POS instead of the allergy flag
• ✕Server fires the ticket without manager acknowledgment
• ✕Line cooks using line bus-tub ingredients on an allergy plate
• ✕Allergy plate delivered with the rest of the table's food, no separation

Trainer notes

The allergen protocol is the SOP I'd train new servers on first, before menu items. An allergy mistake closes restaurants. A slow server costs you a tip.

Common questions