Keeping Your Restaurant Busy

As a restaurant owner, there aren't many things more challenging than keeping a steady stream of customers coming in through the front door. Unfortunately, these kinds of challenges can eventually arrest the cash flow of your business, which can cause all kinds of problems in the long run. About three months ago, I decided that it would be a good idea to start focusing more on my own restaurant so that I could improve things. I started small, by changing the way that our team handled a few things, and then eventually worked towards reworking the entire menu. This blog is all about making your restaurant more profitable.

4 Tips For Dining Out When You Have A Food Allergy

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In this day and age, having a food allergy does not mean that you are stuck preparing all of your own food and only eating in your own home. More and more restaurants are taking steps to accommodate customers with food allergies, and there is a good chance that you can find several restaurants in your area where you can dine safely. Use the following tips when you have a food allergy and will be dining out for a meal:

Be Careful When Choosing a Type of Cuisine

Think carefully about the type of restaurant that you would like to eat at -- some restaurants can present more problems for a person with a food allergy than others. For example, many Asian restaurants, such as those that specialize in Thai or Chinese food, often use a lot of peanut oil in their recipes, which can be problematic if you are allergic to nuts. Likewise, a restaurant that primarily serves seafood is not a good place for a person with a shellfish allergy to eat at since the chance of cross-contamination can be high.

Talk to the Restaurant Staff

If you have a food allergy, it is important to talk to restaurant staff about your condition and what you can't eat. If you have a mild allergy, speaking with your server may be enough. But for more moderate to severe allergies, it is a good idea to talk with a manager or the chef prior to placing your order. You may want to consider printing out an allergy card that specifies ingredients that you can't safely consume.

Go Out to Eat at Low-Peak Times

It is a good idea to dine out at a restaurant during low-peak times if you have a food allergy. If you go to a restaurant when it is very busy, it may be difficult to be able to have the opportunity to speak with a manager or chef. There is also a chance that the kitchen staff may make a mistake preparing your order if they have numerous meals to prepare and things are chaotic. 

Always Be Prepared

No matter how hard a restaurant tries to prepare a meal that is free of allergens, it is always important to be prepared when dining outside of your home. When you go out to eat, make sure you take any emergency medication that you may have been prescribed, such as an epinephrine injection, just in case you have any adverse effects to any dish you consume.

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17 December 2016