Creating effective lines of communication

"I'm allergic to shellfish and nuts," one of your guests tells the waiter, opening her menu. "I have to be careful to avoid them. Do you know which of these entrees I can safely order?"

The first step in dealing with food allergies is listening to the customer. That may sound easy, but listening means more than just registering what a guest says. It also means respecting them and responding in such a way that customers know they can trust you. That, in turn, requires a fail-safe line of communication from customer to kitchen and back to the customer.

Take special requests seriously. When a customer announces that he or she has a food allergy, the information should be noted immediately on the ticket. It should then be conveyed directly to the manager. Many people with food allergies call ahead to confirm that a restaurant can accommodate them. Remember to train your reservations staff. The written reservation should include a note about the specific food allergy.

Put one person in charge. Ideally, the manager should be the point person in dealing with a food allergic customer. When appropriate, an experienced server can also fill that role. At the table, he or she should provide information about ingredients and communicate special instructions to the kitchen staff. The same person should confirm with the kitchen that the meal has been prepared according to instructions and then bring the dish to the customer. That avoids the problem of having a food expediter deliver the dish to the wrong person at the table. The same person should check back to make sure that the dish is satisfactory.

Be honest. If you don't know what's in a particular dish, say so. If you need to check with the chef, do so. If after consulting with the chef you have any doubts about whether a dish is safe, be honest. Suggest another dish that you know is safe. In some cases, you may not be able to accommodate a guest with multiple food allergies, especially if they arrive during peak hours. Acknowledge that in an honest and open way. "Your health is important to us, and we're not comfortable that we can prepare a dish you can safely enjoy under the circumstances. If you'll call ahead and come another time, we'd be happy to welcome you."

Make everyone part of the team. Every staff member should be taught the restaurant's policy on handling food allergies. Training is essential. If you have a high turnover rate, your new employee orientation program should include training in how to accommodate guests with food allergies. Put your plan in writing. Review it on a regular basis with serving staff and kitchen staff. Write out a flow chart to make the lines of communication clear (link to flow chart example).

Communicate your plan in language everyone can understand. In many restaurants, English is not the first language of some of the kitchen staff. Make sure your food allergy plan is communicated in the language your staff understands.

Learn from your mistakes. Mistakes happen even in restaurants that place a high priority on serving customers with food allergies. "The point is to learn from your mistakes," said one restaurant operator. "If something goes wrong, investigate to find out how and why it happened. Then make changes to make sure it doesn't happen again."