Restaurant Operations

How to Handle Allergy Questions in a Chinese Restaurant

Restaurant operations · Menu literacy · Service model

Allergy questions should not be improvised at the table. They require menu labels, staff training, kitchen communication, and honest limits.

Allergy process

Step Action
Listen Identify the specific allergy or restriction.
Clarify Ask whether cross-contact matters.
Check Confirm sauces, broths, wrappers, marinades, and shared equipment.
Communicate Tell the kitchen clearly before the order is made.
Limit Do not promise safety if the kitchen cannot control the risk.
Document Use POS notes or ticket labels for allergy-related modifications.

High-risk areas in Chinese restaurants

Risk area Examples
Shared woks Soy, shellfish, sesame, peanuts, and gluten exposure.
Shared fryers Wheat coatings, shrimp, spring rolls, sesame items.
Sauce station Oyster sauce, soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, chile crisp.
Dumpling prep Pork, shrimp, wheat wrappers, egg wash.
Broths Pork, chicken, beef, fish, shellfish, alcohol, soy.
Hot pot sauce bars Sesame, peanuts, shellfish, soy, gluten, garlic.

Sample staff language

We can check ingredients and ask the kitchen to use a clean pan.
However, we use shared woks, steamers, fryers, and prep areas.
For severe allergies, we cannot guarantee no cross-contact.

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