# Build an allergen matrix and safe ordering procedure for my menu

A dish-by-allergen chart plus front-of-house and kitchen steps to prevent cross-contact and answer guest questions correctly.

- Topic: Legal & Compliance
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Advanced
- Tags: Legal, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/build-an-allergen-matrix-and-safe-ordering-procedure-for-my-menu

## Prompt

```text
Help me build an allergen matrix and allergen-handling procedure.

**Country or state:** [LOCATION - this determines which allergens must be declared]
**Menu items with full recipes, including sauces, dressings, garnishes, and frying oil:** [PASTE]
**Supplier ingredient labels I have checked:** [LIST - or "not yet"]
**Kitchen setup:** [shared fryers, grills, prep surfaces, bakery items brought in]
**How guests order:** [table service / counter / QR / delivery apps]

Steps:
1. List the allergens my jurisdiction requires me to identify (for example, the 9 major US allergens including sesame, or the 14 UK/EU allergens) and confirm I should check the current local rule.
2. Build a matrix: dish down the side, allergens across the top, marked Contains / May contain via cross-contact / Free from. Mark anything I have not given label details for as [CHECK LABEL] rather than guessing.
3. Flag hidden sources (e.g. Worcestershire sauce, pesto, shared fryer oil, flour dusting, stock bases).
4. Write the ordering procedure: how servers ask about allergies, how the ticket is flagged, who confirms with the chef, and what to say when we cannot guarantee safety.
5. Write the kitchen procedure: separate tools, clean surfaces, prepare first, deliver by hand, and how to manage substitutions.
6. Add a process for menu and supplier changes so the matrix stays current.

Return the matrix as a table, the two procedures as checklists, and a 5-line script for servers. This is general guidance; confirm requirements with my local food authority, and never tell a guest a dish is "allergen-free" unless the process supports it.
```

## What to fill in

- LOCATION - this determines which allergens must be declared
- PASTE
- LIST - or "not yet"
- shared fryers, grills, prep surfaces, bakery items brought in
- table service / counter / QR / delivery apps
- CHECK LABEL

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.