Hospitality pays off

Making guests with food allergies feel welcome is a fundamental part of restaurant hospitality. It's also good for your bottom line. Diners have many establishments to choose from. If you can't provide a welcoming and safe experience for diners with allergies, they'll go elsewhere. They'll also take their friends and family with them. On the other hand, if you win the trust of guests with food allergies, they'll come back again and again. And they'll recommend your business to others.

By creating a food allergy response plan, you'll also boost employee morale and create a more welcoming atmosphere in your establishment. Just listen to what restaurant owners and managers say.

• "Guests know we care about them and are willing to go the extra mile to accommodate their special needs. That really makes them feel like guests and not just paying customers."
• "Our employees really appreciated the fact that we included everyone in our plan on how to respond to food allergy problems. It really reinforced the fact that everyone here contributes to the experience of our customers."
• "We're in the hospitality business. It's our job to make people feel welcome and looked after. That includes everyone. Accommodating people with food allergies is just one part of the larger picture of offering hospitality."
• "I think of it like serving guests at my house. If they're allergic to something, I'm going to go out of my way to prepare something wonderful that doesn't contain it. It's the same in the restaurant."