Photo: Getty The restaurant chain that claims to be reminiscent of a Sunday night visit to nonna’s house is the most allergy-friendly restaurant chain in the United States, according to the annual list pulled from data on the AllergyEats app.
Maggiano’s Little Italy has earned the top spot on AllergyEats’ top 10 most allergy-friendly large restaurant chains in America, with Chipotle Mexican Grill taking the second spot. The popular app groups restaurant chains in two categories for this list – large (50 or more restaurants across the U.S.) and small (under 50 locations across the U.S.).
For the list of small chains, Burtons Grill comes in no. 1 while Flatbread Company takes the second spot.
The rankings are based on reviews from AllergyEats app users of more than 850,000 restaurants nationwide. The diners look at their restaurant experiences through a lense that considers factors such as staff awareness of food allergies and cross-contact risks.
“Maggiano’s has strong procedures and protocols in place that they generally follow to a T, which greatly adds to the comfort of the food-allergic diner,” Paul Antico, founder and CEO of AllergyEats, told Allergic Living.
Antico says user comments about Maggiano’s consistent food allergy protocols include: a chef coming to the diner’s table with a pad and pencil to take notes, the same chef having a firm understanding of what is in the restaurant’s food and recognizing the dangers of cross-contact.
He says a key differentiating factor for any of the chains that scored well is: “commitment from the top.”
Having stringent kitchen protocols can make a person with food allergies feel more confident about their dining out experience. Antico appreciates these chains for “recognizing the importance of accommodating food-allergic diners.”
Following are the most allergy-friendly restaurants in the U.S., as rated by AllergyEats users.
Large chains:
- Maggiano’s Little Italy (4.68 rating)
- Chipotle Mexican Grill (4.42 rating)
- Longhorn Steakhouse (4.42 rating)
- In-N-Out Burger (4.39 rating)
- Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant (4.37 rating)
Small chains:
- Burtons Grill (4.85 rating)
- Flatbread Company (4.83 rating)
- Clyde’s Restaurant Group (4.78 rating)
- 110 Grill (4.74 rating)
- Weber Grill (4.71 rating)
Related: Step-by-Step Guide to Dining Out with Food Allergies
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