Chelsea Osborn

Mckoy

English 2

                                                                Health Epidemic

Do restaurants know enough about food allergies? From my research I would say no. The way that restaurants carry themselves is beginning to become a real health hazard. More than 12 million Americans suffer from food allergies and the majority of restaurant staff are not informed on how to work with allergies. Something has to change and “until this occurs, food allergic customers will not be able to dine out in safety and will continue to be put at risk by restaurant staff’s poor knowledge, inappropriate confidence and low desire for further training.” (Bailey, Albardiaz, Frew, and Smith ).

When researching my topic on food allergies, I was astonished to come across the amount of complaints over allergy attacks in restaurants.  The same complaints were seen over and over on multiple sites and in various articles: “I didn’t know [the food allergy] was in my dish”(similar situations included in Lawyers USA). Usually in these situations the customer had asked the waiter beforehand whether the food had the particular contaminant in it; that is where the problem arises. The staff does not know what is in the food, nor do they know the risks of giving out food containing a particular allergy. This is particularly dangerous because it shows the lack of concern most restaurants have for their customers. It seems so easy to inform the chef of the customers allergy, but they chose not to.

Many times customers will feel too embarrassed to tell staff of their allergies. The way restaurant staff carries themselves has become a problem to the extent that many people suffering with food allergies will be too afraid to annoy the staff, that they will not even mention the danger. As someone that suffers with food allergies, I personally have experienced the awkward feeling of telling my server that I have an allergy and seeing their twisted expression; it is as if you are an annoyance over something you cannot control. Yet the process seems so simple. Tell the chef of the food allergy and wash the utensils used to prepare that dish. Or better yet, know what allergens are in each dish and help a customer with food allergies pick a safe dinner to eat.  

“About 12 million Americans suffer from food allergies.” (Lawyers USA 17). With this staggering fact being high in numbers already, you will be shocked to find out that it is only increasing. Food allergies are a problem because “with food allergies, there’s no cure” (Anne Munoz- Furlong 18), so it is a constant battle to dodge allergic reactions in everyday life. It should be required that any residency serving food to the public, should be trained in food allergy awareness so that each individual they come in contact with is safe. Staff awareness means customer protection. The more they are aware of the food they are preparing, the easier dining out is on both parties because the customer knows they are safe and the restaurant does not have a law suit waiting to happen if the customer has a severe attack.

While hearing all the different experiences of those suffering with food allergies I have come to the conclusion that one change would make all the difference. If all restaurants would include allergy information on their menus then they would not have to educate their staff half as much, worry about customers having allergic reactions, or be sued for the recklessness of the way the customer’s food was handled. If the menu were to include sections saying what foods contained the allergen it would be safer for the customer and faster for the server since they would not have to ask about the allergy information to the chef. The customer with the allergy knows what they can and cannot eat, so why not let them have the information? The risks would decrease significantly and people like me with food allergies could eat out safely.

I believe that food allergies are a huge epidemic. It is an increasing health problem that needs to be acknowledged and acted upon. With 12 million Americans suffering from food allergies, it is astonishing that it has not been taken care of sooner. Restaurants should be at the top of their game with their knowledge about food allergies, since they are of course dealing with food and food allergies every day; unfortunately they are not. I believe that by making one simple change, it could change the lives, and possibly save the lives, of 12 million individuals.

                                    Works Cited

·         Bailey, S., R. Albardiaz, A.J Frew, and H. Smith. "Restaurant staff's knowledge of anaphylaxis and dietary care of people with allergies." Clinical Allergy. (2011): n. page. Print.

·         USA, Lawyers, , , and . "Restaurant industry may face a spate of food allergy suits." Newspaper source plus. (2006): n. page. Print.

·         Situations in paragraph two were similar to those in Lawyer USA article.

·         Personal experiences included.