Allergen Menu for Restaurants: The 14 EU Allergens on Every Dish
In the EU, restaurants must tell guests which of 14 allergens are in the food they serve. QRestAI puts those allergens on every dish of your menu, in every language you publish it in, and keeps them right when a recipe changes.
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Allergens your guests can trust
All 14, on every dish
Tick the allergens a dish contains from the EU list of 14. Guests see them next to the dish, with clear icons.
In the guest’s own language
Allergen names show in all 12 menu languages, so a visitor does not have to guess what "Sellerie" or "frutta a guscio" means.
Right after every recipe change
Change an ingredient in the panel and the allergen information is updated on every table at once. No old printouts left behind.
Allergies reach the kitchen
Guests who order from the menu can declare their allergies; the basket warns them about matching dishes, and staff see the allergies on the order.
The 14 allergens the EU lists
Allergens 1 to 7
- Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats)
- Crustaceans
- Eggs
- Fish
- Peanuts
- Soybeans
- Milk (including lactose)
Allergens 8 to 14
- Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and other tree nuts)
- Celery
- Mustard
- Sesame seeds
- Sulphur dioxide and sulphites
- Lupin
- Molluscs
What EU rules ask of restaurants
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers requires every food business, restaurants included, to tell guests when a dish contains one of the 14 allergens listed in its Annex II. It has applied since 13 December 2014, and it covers food that is not prepacked: the dishes you cook and serve.
The regulation lets each country decide how that information has to be given. In Ireland, for example, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland explains that the information must be in writing, easy to find and available before the guest buys, without the guest having to ask. It must cover the small parts of a dish too: sauces, dressings and drinks.
Where a digital menu helps, and where it does not
A digital menu makes the hard part easier: keeping allergen information complete and correct on every dish, in every language, every time a recipe changes.
It does not change your country’s rules on how guests must be able to see that information. Some authorities expect it to be available without a phone, for example on a printed sheet or a sign. Ask your national food safety authority whether a digital menu alone is enough where you trade.
This page explains the rules in general terms; it is not legal advice.
Allergens on a QR menu
On a QRestAI menu, guests open your menu by scanning the QR code on the table, and each dish shows its allergens next to its name and price, in the language of their phone. Ingredients and calories can be shown on the dish too.
Frequently asked questions
Which are the 14 allergens in the EU?
Cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame seeds, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, lupin and molluscs. They are listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011.
Do restaurants have to show allergens on the menu?
Restaurants in the EU must give guests information on the 14 allergens in the food they serve. Each country decides how: some ask for it in writing on the menu or in a visible place, before the guest orders. Check your national food safety authority’s guidance.
Is a QR menu enough for allergen rules?
That depends on your country. A QR menu keeps the information complete and current, but some authorities expect guests to be able to see it without a phone. Ask your national food safety authority.
Can guests see allergens in their own language?
Yes. QRestAI shows allergen names in all 12 menu languages, together with the dish name and description.
What happens when I change a recipe?
Update the dish in the panel. The allergens shown on the menu change at once, on every table.
Keep every allergen right on every dish
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