AllergyEats, the leading guide to allergy-friendly restaurants in the United States, has just released its 2018 list of the Top 10 Most Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Chains in America. The chains on this highly-anticipated annual list have earned top ratings on the AllergyEats app and website, per feedback from the food allergy community. These chains are rated solely on how well they have accommodated food-allergic diners over the past year.
“For the over 15 million Americans with food allergies, it’s incredibly important to know which restaurants are the best at creating allergy-friendly experiences so these individuals can more comfortably dine out,” said Paul Antico, Founder and CEO of AllergyEats. “The restaurant chains on our 2018 list have differentiated themselves with exceptional food allergy protocols, education, and training, according to peer reviews from AllergyEats users. Even better, this year’s list includes chains that offer diverse types of cuisine – from Italian and Mexican to steaks, seafood, and more.”
AllergyEats’ Top 10 Most Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Chains are grouped into two categories – large (50 or more restaurants) and small (under 50 restaurants). The list was created per crowdsourced feedback from the AllergyEats app and website through December 31, 2017. Ratings are based on a 1 through 5 scale, with 5 being the most allergy-friendly.
Most allergy-friendly large chains:
- Maggiano’s Little Italy (4.76 rating)
- Chipotle Mexican Grill (4.45 rating)
- Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant (4.43 rating) **
- Mellow Mushroom (4.37 rating)
- Longhorn Steakhouse (4.28 rating) **
Most allergy-friendly small chains:
- Burtons Grill (4.83 rating)
- Flatbread Company (4.77 rating)
- Legal Sea Foods (4.58 rating)
- Weber Grill (4.52 rating) **
- 110 Grill (4.43 rating) **
** Denotes restaurant chains that are new to the list this year.
“We are excited to announce that four restaurant chains are new to the list this year, earning top honors for their exceptional food allergy accommodations, as determined by AllergyEats users. These new additions to the 2018 Top 10 list – Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant, Longhorn Steakhouse, Weber Grill, and 110 Grill – have shown the same outstanding commitment towards accommodating food-allergic guests as those chains that consistently make this list, such as Maggiano’s Little Italy, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Burtons Grill, and Legal Sea Foods,” Antico added.
“On behalf of all of us at Bertucci’s, we are honored that AllergyEats users have recognized our brand and the efforts of our local teams to individualize guest special requests,” said Brian Wright, CEO, Bertucci’s. “We take pride in our scratch kitchens, fresh ingredients and passionate culinary staff and we are ever-grateful for a legion of amazing guests who’ve supported us since 1981. Thank you, AllergyEats, for providing your service and giving voice to this distinctive guest recognition.”
The AllergyEats Top 10 Most Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Chains list – and the growing number of AllergyEats ratings of all restaurants around the country – helps the food allergy community make more informed decisions about which restaurants to visit and which to avoid, based on how well or poorly they’ve accommodated other diners’ food allergies.
AllergyEats is a crowdsourced restaurant guide for the food allergy community, available as a free app on both iTunes and Google Play, as well as on www.allergyeats.com. Restaurants are easily searchable by geographic location, so people can find allergy-friendly establishments anywhere in the country.
Maggiano’s mat have gluten free options. However, the servers are not properly trained. I will not go back. I went this past year and the server gave me the wrong pasta. I even questioned if it was the right one. She guaranteed me it was the gluten free pasta. About ten minutes later she came out, grabbed my dish and ran to the kitchen. I ran to the bathroom to make myself throw up but the damage was already done. No apologies by management. No offer to make the dish over. I have not been back and neither have a lot of friends after hearing about that experience
Totally agree with Holly. It’s happened to me twice at Maggiano’s in Troy, MI. The last time, my served meal was fine but the waiter took my pasta to the kitchen to wrap up for take home and sent me home with a pasta that obviously had wheat pasta in it. When I ate the take home pasta the next day for lunch, I ended up in the hospital’s ER! When we reported it to Maggiano’s, the restaurant manager referred us to corporate and there it sat. We sent them the hospital records to prove it and nothing! I always recommend that people not go there due to their untrained staff. And their corporate management are worse! So, no wonder! I feel sorry for the chefs as they can do their best and end up with a sick customer due to negligent staff!
Thank you for the heads up on Maggiano’s.