How Scoring Works
Every restaurant on AllergenScore is rated on a 0–5 scale based on how well their menu communicates allergen and dietary information. Here’s what each score means, what we look for, and how restaurants can improve.
The Allergen Awareness Score
No Information
We couldn't find any allergen or dietary information on the restaurant's menu. This doesn't mean the restaurant isn't allergy-friendly — it just means their online menu doesn't include this information.
What this looks like
- •Menu is image-only with no text and no allergen labels
- •No menu found online
- •Menu only lists dish names and prices
How to reach the next level
Add any dietary labels to your menu — even a simple (V) for vegetarian or (GF) for gluten free on a few dishes will move you to a score of 1 or 2.
Some Dietary Options, No Labelling
The menu includes vegan, vegetarian, or other dietary options, but individual dishes aren't labelled with allergen information. A diner with coeliac disease or a nut allergy would have no way to identify safe options without asking staff.
What this looks like
- •A "Vegan" section exists but no GF/DF/NF labels anywhere
- •Some dishes are clearly plant-based but nothing is explicitly marked
How to reach the next level
Start labelling individual dishes with common allergen codes: GF (gluten free), DF (dairy free), NF (nut free), V (vegetarian), VG (vegan). Even inconsistent labelling moves you to a 2.
Some Allergen Notes, Inconsistent
The menu has some allergen information, but it's applied inconsistently. A few dishes might be marked as gluten free while the rest of the menu has no labels. Or there's a general note like "please ask about allergies" but no dish-level detail.
What this looks like
- •A handful of dishes marked GF but most items unlabelled
- •"Contains nuts" noted on one dessert, nothing elsewhere
- •A footnote says "ask your server about allergies" but no menu labels
How to reach the next level
Apply allergen labels consistently across your entire menu — every dish should indicate which common allergens it contains or is free from. Consistency is what separates a 2 from a 3.
Clearly Labelled Throughout
Allergen information is labelled clearly and consistently across the menu. A diner can look at any dish and understand whether it's suitable for their dietary needs. This is the standard most allergy-aware diners are looking for.
What this looks like
- •Every dish marked with GF / DF / VG / V / NF codes
- •A legend at the bottom of the menu explaining all allergen symbols
- •Colour-coded icons next to each dish indicating allergen status
How to reach the next level
Go beyond labelling: add a note encouraging diners to inform their server about allergies, mention that dishes can be modified on request, or disclose shared cooking equipment (e.g. "items marked GF are prepared in a shared fryer"). Showing that your staff are trained and your kitchen is allergy-aware moves you to a 4.
Proactive Allergen Awareness
The restaurant goes beyond labelling. There's evidence of staff training, the ability to modify dishes, transparent risk disclosures, or a dedicated allergen section. Diners with serious allergies can feel confident that the kitchen understands cross-contamination and takes it seriously.
What this looks like
- •"Please inform your server of any allergies" prominently displayed
- •Dishes marked as modifiable (e.g. "available GF on request")
- •Shared fryer or cross-contamination warnings clearly stated
- •A dedicated "Allergen Friendly" section on the menu
- •Menu states a default position (e.g. "all dishes are dairy-free unless specified")
How to reach the next level
Provide a full allergen matrix listing every dish against every common allergen, obtain certification from an organisation like Coeliac Australia, or offer direct chef consultation for allergy needs.
Gold Standard
The highest level of allergen awareness. The restaurant provides a comprehensive allergen matrix, holds relevant certifications, or offers direct chef consultation for diners with complex allergies. This level of care is rare and highly valued by the allergy community.
What this looks like
- •Full allergen matrix (grid of every dish vs. every allergen)
- •Coeliac Australia accreditation or equivalent certification
- •Chef available to discuss individual allergy needs
- •Dedicated allergen-free preparation area in the kitchen
“Best For” Dietary Filters
When you filter by a dietary need (e.g. Best for Gluten Free), we show restaurants where the menu clearly identifies options for that category. Here’s what each filter means and what we look for.
What it means: The menu has clearly identified gluten-free options.
What we look for: GF labels, a dedicated gluten-free section, or gluten-free substitutions (e.g. GF bread, GF pasta). Note: this doesn't guarantee a coeliac-safe kitchen — check the restaurant's notes about shared fryers or cross-contamination.
What it means: The menu has clearly identified dairy-free options.
What we look for: DF labels, dairy-free milk alternatives, or a statement that dishes are dairy-free by default. Restaurants that default to dairy-free (like some Mexican or Asian cuisines) score well here.
What it means: The menu identifies nut-free options or clearly warns about nut content.
What we look for: NF labels, "contains nuts" warnings on specific dishes, or a statement about nut-free preparation. This is particularly important for anaphylaxis risk.
What it means: The menu identifies shellfish-free options or warns about shellfish content.
What we look for: Shellfish or crustacean warnings, separate preparation notes, or clear labelling of dishes containing prawns, crab, lobster, etc.
What it means: The menu has clearly identified vegan options (no animal products).
What we look for: VG labels, a dedicated vegan section, or a significant number of plant-based dishes. A single side salad doesn't count — we look for genuine vegan meal options.
What it means: The menu has clearly identified vegetarian options (no meat or fish).
What we look for: V labels, a vegetarian section, or multiple meat-free main courses. Most restaurants score well here as vegetarian options are increasingly common.
What it means: The menu mentions halal certification or halal options.
What we look for: Halal certification displayed, a statement about halal meat sourcing, or the restaurant identifies as halal. We only flag this when it's explicitly stated — we don't infer halal status from cuisine type.
How We Analyse Menus
We automatically collect publicly available menus from restaurant websites, including PDFs and menu images. The menu content is then analysed by AI to identify allergen labelling, dietary options, and the overall level of allergen awareness.
Each restaurant receives a score, a set of dietary flags (GF, DF, NF, etc.), and up to 10 highlighted dishes with per-dish allergen tags. Restaurants can have their profile re-analysed as menus change.
Important Limitations
- •Scores are based solely on what appears on the menu. A restaurant may have excellent allergen practices in the kitchen but score low because their online menu doesn’t reflect this. Conversely, a well-labelled menu doesn’t guarantee safe kitchen practices.
- •Menus change. Our analysis reflects the menu at the time it was last scraped. Seasonal menus, daily specials, or recent redesigns may not be captured yet.
- •Always confirm with the restaurant. AllergenScore is a guide to help you find restaurants that are likely to be allergy-aware. It is not a guarantee of safety. If you have a serious allergy, always speak to the restaurant directly before ordering.
- •“Free from” flags are not medical advice. When we label a restaurant as having “Gluten Free” options, it means the menu identifies GF dishes. It does not mean the kitchen is free from cross-contamination. Coeliacs and those with anaphylaxis risk should always verify directly.
How We Handle Chain Restaurants
Chain restaurants with a standardised menu across all locations (like Grill’d, Nando’s, Zambrero, and Pattysmiths) are analysed once and the score is applied to every location. Since these chains serve the same menu everywhere, each location receives the same allergen awareness score.
By default, chains are hidden from the main browse view to keep the focus on independent restaurants. You can include them using the “Include Chains” toggle in the sidebar filters. When shown, chain locations are grouped into a single card with a location picker so you can find your nearest branch.
Major fast food chains (McDonald’s, KFC, Subway, etc.) are excluded from AllergenScore entirely as their allergen information is already widely available through their own websites and apps.
Restaurant Owner?
If your score doesn’t reflect the work you put into allergen safety, we want to hear from you. Claim your profile to provide verified information about your protocols, or let us know if your menu has been updated.
Claim Your ProfileData is refreshed monthly. Last analysis covers menus collected from restaurant websites, Uber Eats, and social media.