Restaurant Allergen Safety & Communication Experience Survey

Welcome! This survey explores your experiences with restaurant dining and food allergy communication. It takes approximately 11 minutes to complete. Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you may stop at any time. There are no right or wrong answers—we are interested in your honest opinions. All responses are anonymous and will be reported in aggregate to help improve allergen safety practices in restaurants. Thank you for participating.

How often do you dine at restaurants (eat-in) in a typical month?

• Daily or almost daily
• A few times per week
• About once per week
• 2–3 times per month
• About once per month
• Less than once per month

Which type of restaurant or food service do you use most often?

• Casual dine-in
• Fast casual / quick service
• Fine dining
• Cafes / coffee shops
• Food trucks / markets
• Takeout / delivery
• Hotel restaurants
• Campus / workplace cafeterias
• Other (please specify)

Which best describes your situation regarding food allergies or sensitivities?

• I have a diagnosed food allergy
• I have a food intolerance or sensitivity
• I regularly dine with someone who has a food allergy
• I do not have allergies or sensitivities relevant to dining

Which allergens are relevant to you or your dining party when eating out? (Select all that apply.)

• Milk / dairy
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Soy
• Wheat / gluten
• Sesame
• Other (please specify)
• Not applicable

What reaction severity do you typically plan for when choosing a restaurant?

• Mild (e.g., stomach upset, mild rash)
• Moderate (e.g., hives, swelling)
• Severe (e.g., anaphylaxis)
• Not sure / varies
• Not applicable

Before choosing a place to eat, which sources do you check for allergy information? (Select all that apply.)

• Restaurant website allergen info
• Menu or tags on delivery apps
• Call ahead to ask
• Reviews or allergy forums
• Social media posts
• I usually don't check in advance

Which methods are most helpful for restaurants to communicate allergen information? (Select all that apply.)

• Menu symbols or icons
• Allergen matrix or binder on request
• Digital menus with allergen filters
• Servers proactively ask about allergies
• Chef or manager available to discuss
• Dedicated allergen-friendly menu
• Table or counter signage
• Detailed ingredient lists on website

How clear is the allergen information on physical menus at restaurants you visit?

How clear is the allergen information on restaurant websites or delivery apps?

How clear is the allergen information communicated verbally by restaurant staff?

When dining out, how often do you inform restaurant staff about food allergy or sensitivity needs?

How confident are you that the restaurants you visit manage allergen cross-contact safely?

In the last 12 months, did you experience an allergy-related mistake at a restaurant?

• Yes, resulted in a reaction
• Yes, but caught before eating
• No
• Prefer not to say

Thinking about your most recent dine-in visit, how satisfied were you with how staff handled allergy-related requests or questions?

Rank the following improvements from most to least important for allergy-safe dining.

1. Clear, standardized menu labels
2. Staff training on allergens and cross-contact
3. Separate prep area/equipment for allergens
4. Ingredient transparency from suppliers
5. Allergen filters on online menus

If a restaurant could fully assure allergy-safe handling, how much extra would you be willing to pay as a percentage of your meal price?

• 0% — I would not pay extra
• 1–5%
• 6–10%
• 11–15%
• 16–20%
• More than 20%

We'd like to understand more about your dining safety experiences. A few brief follow-up questions will appear based on your earlier responses.

Based on your responses in this survey, please share any additional thoughts or suggestions for how restaurants can better support safe, confident dining for guests with food allergies.

What is your age group?

• 18–24
• 25–34
• 35–44
• 45–54
• 55–64
• 65+
• Prefer not to say

Which of the following best describes your gender?

• Woman
• Man
• Non-binary
• Prefer not to say

Where do you currently live?

• Africa
• Asia
• Australia / Oceania
• Europe (incl. UK)
• Middle East
• North America
• South America
• Central America / Caribbean

Thank you for your time—your feedback will help improve allergen safety practices in restaurant dining.