Do restaurants need an allergen notice?

Where allergen information is given verbally or in a separate record, guests must be clearly told how to get it. A notice is the usual way. Check your national rules.

Where should an allergen notice go?

Where guests see it before ordering: on menus, next to QR codes, at the entrance or counter, and on delivery listings.

What should an allergen notice say?

That allergen information is available, where to find it, and that guests should tell staff about allergies when ordering.

Should the notice be in several languages?

In tourist areas, yes, or combine short text with recognisable icons.

Is an allergen notice enough on its own?

No. The notice must lead to accurate allergen information for every dish and staff who know how to use it.

Should allergen notices include cross-contact warnings?

Where there is a real, assessed risk, such as nuts used throughout the pastry kitchen, a specific line in the notice helps guests decide before they order.

Do allergen notices need to be a particular size?

There is no fixed size in EU law for restaurant notices, but they must be clearly visible and legible where guests choose their food.

Allergen notices for restaurants: what to write and where to put it

By the Menulta editorial team · Facts checked 15 October 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026

The short answer

An allergen notice tells guests how to get allergen information before they order. It should be short, clear and placed where guests see it at the moment they choose: on the menu, at the entrance or counter, next to the QR code, and on takeaway and delivery listings. Example wording: 'Food allergies? Allergen information for every dish is on our menu. Please tell us about any allergy when you order.'

Why signposting matters

Allergen information only protects guests if they know it exists and can get it in time. Under Article 44 of Regulation 1169/2011, Member States decide how information for non-prepacked food is provided, and many allow it to be given verbally or in a separate record if guests are clearly told how to get it. A notice is that signpost. Without it, an allergen folder behind the bar does little.

Example wording

'Food allergies or intolerances? Please speak to a member of staff before ordering.'
'Allergen information for every dish is shown on our menu. Please tell us about any allergy when you order.'
'Scan for the menu with allergen information in your language. If you have an allergy, please let us know.'
'Our kitchen uses nuts, sesame and gluten. Please ask us about cross-contact before ordering.'

Where to place it

Where allergen notices are most effective
Location	Why
On every menu, near the top or bottom	Guests see it while choosing
Next to the table QR code	Guests using the digital menu see it
At the entrance or counter	Walk-in and counter-service guests see it before ordering
On chalkboards and specials boards	Specials are where information is often missing
On takeaway menus and delivery listings	Information must be available before the order is placed
At buffets and self-service	Guests choose without staff

Languages

In tourist areas, put the notice in the languages your guests read, or use a short notice with recognisable allergen icons alongside the text. A digital menu that follows the phone's language helps, but the physical notice should still be understandable by guests who do not read the local language.

Common mistakes

A notice only at the till, after guests have already ordered.
Small print at the bottom of the last page of the menu.
A notice promising information that staff cannot actually find.
Blanket wording that says 'all dishes may contain all allergens', which does not help guests choose.
No notice on delivery platforms.

Making the notice true

A notice is a promise. If it says allergen information is on the menu, it must be there for every dish, current and accurate. If it says 'ask staff', every staff member on every shift must know where the information is. Test it: ask a new staff member to find the allergens for a random dish during service, and fix whatever slows them down.

Signposting for digital menus

If your allergen information is on a QR menu, the notice next to the code should say so, because many guests do not expect it. For example: 'Scan for our menu in your language, with allergens on every dish.' Inside the digital menu, a short line at the top should still invite guests to tell staff about allergies, so the digital record supports the conversation rather than replacing it.

Notices for takeaway and delivery

Takeaway counters and delivery listings need their own signposting. At the counter, put the notice where customers read the menu board, not only at the till. On delivery platforms, add a short note in the restaurant description and on dishes where allergens are significant, and make sure the platform's allergen fields are filled in. Article 14 of Regulation 1169/2011 requires allergen information to be available before the order is placed.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. Guests with an allergy should follow their doctor's advice. Operators should confirm their own setup with their food safety adviser or local authority.