This study surveyed 110 restaurant managerial staff in the United States to investigate their levels of food allergy knowledge, awareness, and preparedness in serving clients with food allergies. Mean food allergy knowledge score was 19.7 ± 4.6 of max 28. Most participants would modify recipes for clients with allergies (n = 85), but perceived customers should be responsible to request special meals (4.1 ± 0.9). Seventy-six participants have provided employee food allergy training. Participants identified that employee lack of commitment (3.9 ± 0.9) and time constrains (3.7 ± 1.0) were barriers to provide training. Restaurants should establish safe dining environment through well-planned food allergy policies and regular employee food allergy training.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to compare restaurant managerial staff and employees’ attitudes toward food allergies, their food allergy knowledge and food allergy-related training. Design/methodology/approach: An online questionnaire was administered through a market research company (Qualtrics® Inc.). A total of 110 managerial staff and 229 restaurant employees completed this questionnaire. Findings: Most restaurants were willing to modify recipes for customers with food allergies. Respondents felt that the customers should be responsible for expressing their food allergy needs. Both groups were able to identify certain symptoms of allergic reactions to food but lacked knowledge of allergen-handling practices. The managerial staff and employees had knowledge differences about how to respond to an allergic reaction (p<0.001) and how to identify peanut derivatives on food labels (p<0.000). In total, 70 percent of the managerial staff indicated that they provided employee food allergy training but only 40 percent of employees indicated receiving such training. The managerial staff identified a lack of employee commitment and interest as barriers to training provision. However, the employees identified different reasons (i.e. it is unnecessary and not beneficial). Practical implications: Restaurants should have policies in place to accommodative customers with food allergies and make sure food allergy-related information is communicated to their customers via different outlets (i.e. restaurants’ websites and printed menus). Food allergy training should be designed based on the areas that need improvement, as knowledge may differ based on the position in the restaurants (managerial staff vs employees) and types of the restaurants (quick service vs casual dining). Pragmatic strategies need to be identified to better encourage and motivate restaurant employees to attend a food allergy training. Originality/value: Understanding the similarities and differences in attitudes, knowledge and training on food allergies between restaurant managerial staff and employees would help restaurants to plan and implement policies and training that best fit both managerial staff and employees.

This research examined whether intrinsic (fresh) and extrinsic (local) cue words of locally grown food menu items were associated with consumers’ visual attention (i.e., fixation count and total fixation duration) and menu choice using an eye-tracking methodology and an online survey. Fifty consumers were randomly assigned to read a hyper-local restaurant menu that featured four items (with or without intrinsic or extrinsic cue words) while being eye-tracked. The participants of this study showed a somewhat favorable attitude towards locally grown food though their behaviors were not incongruent with their attitudes. The results showed that there was a relationship between fixation counts and the extrinsic cue word, local, for subsequent menu choices in the way that participants who chose the menu item with the word local appeared to look at it more frequently before making their final menu selection. The participants of this study further identified that factors such as attractive menu descriptions, personal preference, and healthfulness were important when making menu selections. The findings of this study suggested that restaurant operators could use well-crafted descriptions with the word local in their menu, as this approach could influence consumers’ menu selections.

This study compared similarities and gaps in strategies and performance related to food allergies between U.S. and Alabama restaurants. The online questionnaires were completed by 185 managerial staff (United States: 110; AL: 75). Both samples have strategies to accommodate food allergy clients. Mean food allergy knowledge scores were 19.74 ± 4.61 (United States) and 20.21 ± 4.64 (AL) of 28 maximum score. Both samples viewed to employees’ lack of commitment and interest as barriers of training provision. More U.S. sample provided employee food allergy training compared to AL sample. More studies are needed to identify best practices in food allergy management that apply to the restaurant industry.