12 Restaurant Chains That Have An Allergy-Friendly Menu

Dining out when you have an allergy can be cumbersome. You have to navigate not only your allergy — be it to tree nuts, soy, shellfish, or eggs — but also have to trust that the folks preparing your food are knowledgeable and careful when it comes to cross-contamination. According to the USDA, the "big nine" are the nine allergens that are most identified in the United States, and include milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame. Of course, there are plenty of other allergens — from strawberries to mustard to celery.

Regardless of what you, a friend, or a family member are allergic to, you need to know where it's safe to eat. An allergic reaction can result in anaphylaxis, but can also present as hives, flushed skin, an itchy mouth, swelling, vomiting, cramps, wheezing or difficulty breathing, or dizziness. In serious cases — and if help isn't immediately available — it could even result in death. So, knowing the top twelve chain restaurants that take allergens seriously is helpful and can help put the mind at ease.

If you're a fan of this fast-casual chain and you're navigating life with a food allergy, you may be able to breathe a little easier. Founded in 1993, Chipotle offers a few staple items that can be customized in a variety of ways: tacos, burritos and burrito bowls, quesadillas, and salads. As anyone who has visited a Chipotle knows, you can take one of these items and doctor it with large portions any way you'd like: a burrito with chicken, pinto beans, all of the salsas, and no rice; a quesadilla with cheese and barbacoa; a bowl of guacamole which, yes, is extra.

According to Chipotle's website, there is an entire allergen menu available. First, the chain states, "We do not use eggs, mustard, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, shellfish, or fish as ingredients in our food." (Eggs are only used in locations where breakfast is served.) Then, a handy chart is presented with each menu item marked with which allergens it contains, so diners can navigate ahead of time to avoid anything that could cause an adverse reaction. Of course, there's a slight chance of cross-contamination since items are prepared and dished out on an assembly line while you customize your meal, but, overall, those with allergies should be able to feel fairly safe in this eatery.

West Coast folks know: In-N-Out is delicious. The burger chain, located mostly in California with outposts dotting the Pacific Northwest, was founded in 1948 and features burgers, fries, drinks, and milkshakes — that's it. No chicken sandwiches, fish, or salads here. Because of the limited number of items on the menu, it is pretty easy to navigate the fast food burger chain if you or someone you know is living with a food allergy.

Like many things in California, In-N-Out is well-equipped to deal with customers on specialized diets or dealing with food allergies. On the In-N-Out website, a chart is offered listing menu items including buns, cheese, milkshakes, creamers, and spreads with which allergens they contain (milk, eggs, soy, wheat, and sesame). According to Allergy Eats, In-N-Out takes its allergy precautions seriously and was rated the second most allergy-friendly chain in the U.S. in 2020. So those navigating food sensitivities can feel relatively good about indulging here.

There are food sensitivities even Down Under, sadly. But if you're heading to this eatery while dealing with an allergy, you can actually find quite a bit on the menu to eat. Started in Florida in the '80s, Outback Steakhouse has no true links to Australia but does offer fast-casual dishes ranging from steaks to chicken to fish — plus deep-fried onions whose calorie content is the stuff of nightmares (delicious nightmares).

Outback Steakhouse has a pretty giant menu, so knowing what you can and can't eat if you're allergic to something can be daunting — especially with sides, sauces, and garnishes on just about everything. However, the eatery's allergen menu is easy to figure out. Every single item is listed with a checkmark system for each of the nine major allergens. There's also an additional column noting which items are fried in beef tallow. Those with gluten sensitivities will appreciate the entirely separate gluten-friendly menu. Outback Steakhouse also notes that fryers are shared, so cross-contamination is extremely likely and guests with serious allergies (to shellfish, for example) should avoid all fried foods.

You may have never heard of Maggiano's Little Italy, but this eatery feels like a visit to your Italian grandma's kitchen. Founded in the early '90s in Chicago, Maggiano's dishes up classic dishes from chicken parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs to lasagna. Think of it as a step up from Olive Garden (no offense). It doesn't have a ton of locations — only around 50 nationwide — but the eatery, which encourages diners to dress in their Sunday best or business casual attire does feel a little bit more "special."

In terms of dining with food allergies, Maggiano's does a good job accommodating guests as much as Nonna would. The allergen menu uses a check system to denote the big nine, as well as vegetarian and vegan offerings. The eatery also advises diners dealing with serious food allergies to contact them ahead of time or discuss aversions with a manager so the kitchen can accommodate them as well as possible. One blogger spoke about the chef coming out to discuss options during her visit, so it's safe to say that this chain takes allergies seriously.

Yes, Taco Bell does make the list. Everyone's favorite late-night regret and quick-stop lunch spot is, indeed, very allergen-friendly. You can "live mas" even if you're dealing with a food sensitivity or allergy. Dating back to the 1950s, Taco Bell has been a mainstay fast food joint along with McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's. The chain dishes up everything from basics like burritos and tacos to best-selling menu items such as Chalupas, Crunchwraps, and Nachos — all delicious amalgamations of beans, rice, meat, and toppings.

So, next time you're on a road trip, if Taco Bell is at the next rest stop, you can peruse the allergen menu ahead of time and check off what you're trying to avoid. The system will then generate a list of items that can be safely enjoyed, so you know exactly what to order. Taco Bell also offers a full ingredient list and nutrition calculator, making it one of the easier fast food spots to enjoy if you're trying to cut calories.

When you're here, you're here ... or something along those lines. Olive Garden, the butt of many a millennial joke, is actually pretty good if you're in the market for never-ending breadsticks, soup, salad, and a simple pasta or two. The Italian fast-casual restaurant, which started in Orlando in the late 1980s, is the sister restaurant of Red Lobster, Seasons 52, and Capital Grille — all part of Darden Restaurants.

Aside from helping diners navigate the big nine, dining with an allergy at Olive Garden is fairly easy. In addition to listing out the major nine allergens, Olive Garden also denotes in its allergen guide whether each item is fried or grilled and whether it contains sulfites. The fried versus grilled note is important since fryer oil is shared and Olive Garden kitchens use either refined soybean oil or canola oil. Additionally, Olive Garden was recently lauded for its decision to move away from breadsticks containing sesame flour, an allergen.

Red Robin is a gourmet burger joint that takes the usual sad, flattened burgers you'd see at the bottom of a grease-soaked bag and swaps them with juicy, stacked behemoths garnished with everything from arugula to basic ketchup to hard-to-pronounce cheeses. In addition to burgers, Red Robin serves the usual fast-casual suspects, from salads and fried appetizers to milkshakes and desserts, across its 500-some locations in the United States and British Columbia.

When it comes to allergens and dining with allergies, Red Robin has been named one of the top chain restaurants by AllergyEats. The allergen menu for Red Robin is easy to navigate. According to the press release about its AllergyEats ranking in 2016, "Within the [Red Robin] Customizer Hub is an Interactive Allergen Menu, where guests can select the allergens they want to avoid and then receive a menu customized specifically for their needs." So no matter your allergy or sensitivity, you can look at each piece of your meal, combine items, and modify your dishes as needed.

MOD Pizza stands for Made On Demand. This build-your-own concept works for allergen sufferers in the same way Chipotle does in that you can easily see and control exactly what's going into your meal. The fast-casual chain, which started in Seattle in 2008, focuses on unique and truly individual pizzas for each diner. The company is frequently listed as a top spot to visit if you're dining with allergies.

Visitors have noted that MOD always has gluten-free crusts, cauliflower crusts, dairy-free cheeses, crusts, and sauces, plus other allergy-friendly items available. According to blogger Honest and Truly, the restaurants are all entirely nut-free — even the pesto — so those who cannot have peanuts or tree nuts need not worry about contamination. The restaurant's allergen menu goes a step further, too. Instead of just listing which items contain allergens, they also note which items may be made on or near shared equipment.

Sit down, get trippy, and enjoy a stone-fired pizza at Mellow Mushroom. Located mainly in the South, Southeast, and Midwest, Mellow Mushroom feels like it was dreamt up by some stoned hippies with a case of the munchies — and we mean that in the best possible way. With that mentality in mind, it isn't too much of a surprise that Mellow Mushroom can and does cater to special diets and food allergies. 

According to Go Dairy Free, "When their staff is notified, all gluten-free pies are made following the strictest gluten-free guidelines. This includes preparing gluten-free pies in a designated sanitary prep area, and using baking tools designated for gluten-free pies only." So, if you or someone you know is navigating a serious Celiac Disease diagnosis, you can still enjoy a delightful pizza with less risk of cross-contamination.

As for its allergen menu, the Mellow Mushroom website hosts a widget that allows diners to filter for their particular allergen, listing either only items that do not contain allergen or only items that do; depending on how you'd like to see things. Far out.

Guarded by a giant, semi-menacing horse statue, P.F. Chang's took Asian food and gave it the Olive Garden treatment. The restaurant chain, which got its start in 1993 in Scottsdale, Arizona, operates some 300 locations in 22 countries. Though many fast-casual operations have waned in popularity over the years, P.F. Chang's seems to still demand a loyal following for its lettuce wraps, Peking duck, and store-bought frozen meals that you can make at home.

In terms of dining at P.F. Chang's with allergies, the eateries do a solid job of accommodating. On the Allegen Matrix online, in addition to the basic grid of each menu item and what allergens it contains, P.F. Chang's includes other potential allergens such as corn, mushrooms, sulfites, and legumes. This is extremely helpful, considering that many items are pretty complex, be they sushi with many layers, bowls of sauced meats over fried rice, or any of the plethora of vegetable dishes. Gluten-free items are in their own categories, too, for an easier way to digest the wealth of information.

Blaze Pizza is a made-to-order pizza concept not unlike Chipotle, Subway, or MOD Pizza. Started in 2011 in California by the founders of Wetzel's Pretzels, Blaze Pizza is one of the fastest-growing fast-casual restaurant chains in America. Like Chipotle, diners can customize their pizza starting with a special crust — which is available in its classic format (and happens to be vegan) that combines yeast, water, unbleached flour, olive oil, and salt; as well as gluten-free, keto, and cauliflower gluten-free varieties.

From there, visitors can wander down the line picking and choosing sauces, toppings, garnishes, and flourishes for their perfect pie, which range from traditional to not-so-traditional. For example, you can get a classic Margherita pizza with red sauce, fresh mozzarella, and fresh, herbaceous basil. But you can also get a Buffalo chicken pizza with ranch dressing and blue cheese crumbles if that's your forte. If you're dining with a food allergy, Blaze does an excellent job of accommodating. They offer an allergen menu that allows guests to filter for the allergen or allergens they're avoiding.

If you've never heard of CAVA, this Mediterranean build-your-own concept may become a new obsession. Founded in 2010 by childhood friends Ike Grigoropoulos, Chef Dimitri Moshovitis, and Ted Xenohristos, who collectively wanted to share the Mediterranean food, love, and experiences they remember growing up. The eatery's aim is simple: good-for-you food in abundance. Diners start with a bowl that can be customized with grains like lentils, brown rice, or basmati rice; greens like arugula, kale, or spinach; and proteins ranging from braised lamb to falafel to grilled vegetables. Then, there are tons of spreads: hummus, skhug, baba ganoush, harissa, and tzatziki.

Like our other build-your-own concepts on the list, CAVA makes it easy for those with food allergies to pick and choose what to avoid. Their comprehensive allergen menu denotes the big nine allergens on every item that can be added — from greens to dips — as well as which items are vegan and which are vegetarian. A big plus? CAVA's menu is completely free from peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish, so those navigating life with allergies to those items can breathe a sigh of relief while enjoying their avocado and lamb bowls.