Food Allergy and Special Diets Checklist

States like MA, IL, MI, NY, and RI require at least one PCFP or AllerTrain-certified manager on every shift. Pull current certificates, check expiration dates, and confirm the cert covers the jurisdictions where you operate.

ServSafe, Learn2Serve, or state-equivalent for cooks, servers, bartenders, and dishwashers. Most cards expire on a 3-5 year cycle. File copies in the employee folder.

Pull anyone with an expired or missing card off allergen-handling stations until they recertify. Book the next ServSafe or AllerTrain class and post a sign-up sheet.

Spreadsheet or POS-integrated allergen flag for each dish across the Big 9 plus gluten. Cross-check each recipe card against actual sub-ingredient labels — a 'natural flavor' panel often hides soy or dairy.

Laminated card at expo and each station listing the Big 9 callouts per dish. Update whenever the menu, a sub-ingredient, or a vendor changes.

In Toast, Square, or Aloha, set the modifier flags so allergy tickets print with the alert banner at the line. Confirm the kitchen printer renders the flag in bold or red.

Purple is the standard allergen-aware color (boards, tongs, gloves). Station lives away from flour, fryer splash, and shellfish prep. Sous chef owns the kit and re-stocks weekly.

Shared oil cross-contaminates — celiac guests react to fryers that also cook breaded items. Either run a separate dedicated fryer or remove fried items from the GF menu. Document which fryer is GF on the line allergen card.

Until a dedicated fryer is sourced, remove fried GF items and update the menu, online ordering platforms, and POS. Don't claim 'gluten-friendly' as a workaround — celiac patrons rely on the GF label.

Standard sequence: server marks ticket ALLERGY, expo confirms verbally, cook changes gloves, pulls clean pan from the dish pit, builds on purple board, runner double-checks plate before pass. Post the protocol at expo.

Server asks every table 'any allergies or dietary restrictions tonight?' before taking the order. If yes, server tags the ticket, walks to expo, and confirms with the chef on duty before firing. No verbal-only pass-throughs.

Resy, OpenTable, and SevenRooms all have guest-profile allergy fields. Hosts review notes at the pre-shift meeting and again as the party is seated. Pre-warned kitchens make fewer mistakes than reactive ones.

Steps in order: call 911, identify the affected guest and seat, ask if they carry an EpiPen, clear path for EMS, preserve the suspect plate for testing, log incident time and witnesses. Manager on duty owns the call.

Two closest hospitals with ER addresses, phone numbers, and walking/driving distance. Posted at expo, host stand, and the office. Re-verify annually.

Red Cross or AHA certification, valid 2 years. Schedule so every operating shift has at least one certified responder. File copies of the cards.

Sysco, US Foods, PFG, and Restaurant Depot all publish allergen statements per SKU. File them by vendor in the BOH binder. Statements should reference the FDA Big 9 plus gluten and sesame.

Manufacturers swap formulations without notice — soy lecithin appears, an oil supplier switches to a peanut-processing facility. Compare the case label to the spec sheet on file before the case lands in the walk-in.

Pull the incident log: every reported allergic reaction, near-miss, comp tied to allergy, and guest complaint. Identify root cause patterns — recurring station, recurring dish, recurring shift.