Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about dining out with food allergies: A cross-sectional survey of restaurant customers in the United States

Abstract For the increasing number of consumers with food allergies in the United States, dining out may pose serious health threats. Both restaurateurs and consumers need to be vigilant to prevent food allergy reactions in restaurants, but empirical studies that explored knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of consumers with food allergies are limited. Therefore, this research aimed to examine food allergy knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of customers with food allergies or parents or guardians with children with food allergies by conducting focus groups and a cross-sectional survey. Customers with food allergies (n = 63) and parents/guardians of children with food allergies (n = 257), who were members of a food allergy social networking website, participated in the survey. Due to the nature of the website, in which members share their dining experience and recommendations, only 2.8% of participants indicated that they have never eaten at a restaurant. The average knowledge score of participants was 24.7 out of 30 (82.3%) and well recognized typical causes of food allergy reactions in restaurants (i.e., hidden allergens, cross-contacts, and restaurant employees’ lack of knowledge, care, and communication about food allergies). Customers with food allergies took a variety of actions to prevent food allergy reactions before or during their visits. Depending on the types of food allergens and previous dining experiences, respondents voiced diverse concerns about different types of restaurants. Restaurateurs may benefit from recognizing and addressing these concerns to improve their service for customers with food allergies.