Food allergens at restaurant chains: what the charts tell you
Chain restaurants publish allergen charts because diners ask for them and, in many places, because local food rules require written allergen notices. A chart tells you which allergens are recipe ingredients. It does not promise that an item never touches them.
Contents7 sections
Key takeaways
- US law names nine major food allergens; sesame became the ninth on January 1, 2023.1
- Federal allergen labeling (FALCPA) does not cover food wrapped or boxed after you order it, which is most restaurant food.1
- The 2022 FDA Food Code asks restaurants to tell customers in writing which major allergens are in unpackaged food, where a state or locality adopts it.2
- A chain's chart lists ingredients; shared fryers, grills and prep areas can still bring an allergen into contact with an item.
The nine major food allergens
US law treats nine foods as major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame.1 The first eight were set by the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA). The FASTER Act, signed on April 23, 2021, added sesame as the ninth, effective January 1, 2023.1
| Allergen | Often found in chain food as | Column on our allergen menus |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | Cheese, butter, cream, whey in breading and sauces | Milk |
| Eggs | Breakfast items, mayonnaise-based sauces, some breading | Egg |
| Fish | Fish sandwiches; anchovy in Caesar and Worcestershire-based sauces | Fish |
| Crustacean shellfish | Shrimp | Shellfish |
| Tree nuts | Pecans, almonds and other nuts in desserts and coffee drinks | Tree nuts |
| Peanuts | Candy mix-ins, some desserts | Peanuts |
| Wheat | Buns, tortillas, breading, many sauces | Wheat |
| Soybeans | Soybean oil blends, soy lecithin, soy sauce | Soy |
| Sesame | Sesame-seed buns, sesame oil | Sesame |
The middle column is general context, not a list for any particular chain; each chain’s allergen menu shows exactly which of its items it marks.
Which rules cover restaurant food
FALCPA requires packaged foods to declare major allergens on the label. It does not apply to food that is placed in a wrapper or container, such as paper or a box for a sandwich, after a customer orders it at the point of purchase.1 That describes most of what a fast-food chain hands over the counter, which is why allergen information for restaurant meals usually comes from the chain’s own charts rather than a package label. Bottled drinks and pre-packaged snacks sold at a chain do carry their own labels, which is why some chains point you to the package instead of listing those items.
FDA’s model Food Code goes further. Its 2022 edition says unpackaged food served in a retail food establishment must come with written notification of the major food allergens it contains, by brochures, menu notes, placards or other written means.2 The Food Code is not federal law: it is a model that states, localities and other jurisdictions choose whether to adopt.2 So the requirement depends on where the restaurant is.
What a chain allergen chart includes
Chains publish allergen information in different shapes, and each ChainMenus allergen menu follows the chain’s own format:
- Which allergens are covered. Most large chains report all nine. Some report fewer, and a few also list gluten, sulfites or other sensitivities. When a chain does not report an allergen, our table has no column for it and the page says so, because a missing column tells you nothing about that allergen.
- Contains versus may contain. “Contains” means the allergen is an ingredient. Some chains also flag items that may contain an allergen through shared equipment, such as fries cooked in the same oil as breaded fish. We show those as “May” only where the chain marks them item by item.
- Items without data. Drinks, packaged snacks and new or limited items are sometimes left out of a chain’s allergen chart. We mark these “Not in allergen guide” rather than leaving the row blank, and their item pages say the site has no allergen information for them.
- Not analyzed. Some charts state that an allergen (often sesame) was not analyzed for certain items. We show “Not analyzed” and leave those items out of “does not list” results for that allergen.
- Unclear. Where a chart’s markings contradict each other, or the item’s published ingredients suggest an allergen the chart does not mark, we show “Unclear” with a note and leave the item out of “does not list” results.
- Highly refined oils. FALCPA’s allergen rules do not cover highly refined oils,1 and several chains state that they do not flag highly refined soybean or peanut oil. If that matters to you, read the chain’s statement, which is summarized on its allergen page.
Where charts stop short of a guarantee
A blank cell in an allergen chart means the chain does not list that allergen for the item’s standard recipe. It does not mean the kitchen keeps the item away from it. Fast-food kitchens share fryers, grills, toasters, scoops and prep surfaces, and nearly every chain’s statement says it cannot guarantee any item is free of allergens. Recipes and suppliers also change between chart editions, and regional or limited-time items may use different ingredients.
Customizing an order changes the picture too: removing a sauce can remove an allergen, while an added topping or a different bun can bring one in. The charts describe items as the chain normally prepares them.
How to use allergen information when ordering
Start with the chain’s allergen menu
Filter out the allergens you need to avoid to see which standard items do not list them, then open an item for its full details and any notes.
Check the date
Every ChainMenus page shows when we last checked the chain’s information. If a chain has changed a recipe since then, its newest chart takes precedence.
Read the chain’s statement
Cross-contact warnings and exclusions (such as highly refined oils) are summarized on each chain’s allergen page.
Tell the restaurant
Mention the allergy when you order, so staff can follow any procedures the restaurant has, and ask about items that are not on the chart.
Sources
- 1 U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Allergies Checked 8 Oct 2026 · Back to text ↑
- 2
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