What should you do if you notice a potential allergen risk in an order?

• A. Ignore the potential allergen and proceed.
• B. Notify the kitchen and guest, and implement allergen-safe handling.
• C. Only inform the guest, not the kitchen.
• D. Remove all allergen-containing items from the kitchen.

Answer: (B)

When a potential allergen risk is spotted, the essential move is to act quickly by communicating with both the guest and the kitchen and putting allergen-safe handling in place. This means alerting the kitchen to avoid cross-contact, confirming the guest’s allergy and any required substitutions, and following safe prep steps right away—using clean utensils and surfaces, separate cookware if needed, fresh gloves, and properly labeled orders. By coordinating with the kitchen and keeping the guest informed, you reduce the chance of an accidental exposure and show that you’re taking the guest’s safety seriously.

Choosing to ignore the risk or only tell the guest can leave the guest vulnerable. Simply removing all allergen items from the kitchen isn’t practical, and the best practice is a coordinated, actionable plan that prevents cross-contact while ensuring the guest receives what they can safely eat.