Serving customers with food allergies and intolerances brings business
by Anne C. Lee
May 10, 2007

With millions of Americans suffering from food allergies or
intolerances, restaurant owners are becoming increasingly aware of
the opportunity to cater to these customers.

Da Luciano restaurant in River Grove offers cheeseless pizza for
those with dairy allergies, as well as an extensive gluten-free menu.

While its offerings have built business, owner Luciano Libreri
said, "We don't do this to increase business—we do this because we
like to help people, and we see how difficult it is for our children
when they gotta go out and go to the restaurant and they don't have a
gluten-free menu."

Four of Libreri's children are intolerant to gluten, which is found
in wheat.

Freddy Sanchez, executive chef of Adobo Grill, which has two
locations in Chicago, sees a business advantage in catering to those
with food allergies or intolerances.

"It is a little more expensive when you try to set up everything, but
eventually we'll pay it off," Sanchez said.

The restaurant provides an extensive gluten-free menu and works
closely with customers who have food allergies.

Food-allergic folks aren't bashful about stating their case.

Julie Campbell, president of the Illinois Food Allergy Education
Association, said, "Illinois has eight food allergy support groups.
That's about the biggest number in any state."

Anne Munoz Furlong, founder and CEO of The Food Allergy and
Anaphylaxis Network, said it's good business sense to cater to
customers with food allergies, who often become loyal customers.

"This is a large population. For every one individual that has the
allergy, the entire family avoids it," Furlong said. "What they tend
to do is become very loyal to a restaurant that they know and trust.
And they will bring their business and ask friends and family to eat
at that restaurant with them."

But initial set-up costs are higher for restaurants that serve a wide
variety of dishes, since an extra set of equipment is often necessary
to ensure the food is not contaminated.

Campbell said some dining establishments are not large enough to
accommodate extra equipment.

President and co-owner Adam Froelich of New York Slices in Highland
Park said he would like to serve customers with gluten intolerances,
but he does not have the space for an extra oven.

Froelich made his entire pizzeria peanut-free because he wanted his
son's best friend, who has a peanut allergy, to be able to eat the
pizza. Froelich said switching out the peanut oils was a negligible
cost

"It's such a prevalent allergy," Froelich said.

While he cannot be sure the peanut-free pizza has increased sales—
though it has gained him a loyal customer base—he knows his peanut-
free baked goods have.

It "took me hours on the phone with Betty Crocker as well as with
Duncan Hines because we use their recipe, but we wanted to make sure
all the products we're using are peanut-free," Froelich said.

The pizzeria also sells cheeseless sauce pizzas by the pie for those
allergic to cheese. For Food Allergy Awareness Week, which begins
next week, Froelich said, "I'm thinking of having a cheeseless sauce
just up for slices."

"We try to accommodate as much as we can," said Sanchez, of Adobo
Grill. "We like to have those people in our restaurants—that's why we
don't change our prices whether they're gluten-free or whatever other
allergies depending on the customer."

Libreri, of Da Luciano, also communicates with his food-allergic
customers.

"They gotta call us and tell us what allergy they have, and if we can
do it, we do it," Libreri said.

Sanchez and Libreri are on the right path, in Furlong's view.

"That's what food allergy awareness is about—it's fairly simple, but
it takes communication, and partnership with a guest," she said.

She added that for food allergies, a simple message on the menu,
either telling of potential allergen ingredients or asking to notify
the staff, is often enough.

"There is not an additional cost for managing and working—the key
that's needed is to take the food allergy seriously," Furlong said.

She said, "The guest and the restaurant have the same goal in mind:
to have an enjoyable meal, and we need to keep that in perspective by
working together—they can achieve their goals."



With millions of Americans suffering from food allergies or
intolerances, restaurant owners are becoming increasingly aware of
the opportunity to cater to these customers.

Da Luciano restaurant in River Grove offers cheeseless pizza for
those with dairy allergies, as well as an extensive gluten-free menu.

While its offerings have built business, owner Luciano Libreri
said, "We don't do this to increase business—we do this because we
like to help people, and we see how difficult it is for our children
when they gotta go out and go to the restaurant and they don't have a
gluten-free menu."

Four of Libreri's children are intolerant to gluten, which is found
in wheat.

Freddy Sanchez, executive chef of Adobo Grill, which has two
locations in Chicago, sees a business advantage in catering to those
with food allergies or intolerances.

"It is a little more expensive when you try to set up everything, but
eventually we'll pay it off," Sanchez said.

The restaurant provides an extensive gluten-free menu and works
closely with customers who have food allergies.

Food-allergic folks aren't bashful about stating their case.

Julie Campbell, president of the Illinois Food Allergy Education
Association, said, "Illinois has eight food allergy support groups.
That's about the biggest number in any state."

Anne Munoz Furlong, founder and CEO of The Food Allergy and
Anaphylaxis Network, said it's good business sense to cater to
customers with food allergies, who often become loyal customers.

"This is a large population. For every one individual that has the
allergy, the entire family avoids it," Furlong said. "What they tend
to do is become very loyal to a restaurant that they know and trust.
And they will bring their business and ask friends and family to eat
at that restaurant with them."

But initial set-up costs are higher for restaurants that serve a wide
variety of dishes, since an extra set of equipment is often necessary
to ensure the food is not contaminated.

Campbell said some dining establishments are not large enough to
accommodate extra equipment.

President and co-owner Adam Froelich of New York Slices in Highland
Park said he would like to serve customers with gluten intolerances,
but he does not have the space for an extra oven.

Froelich made his entire pizzeria peanut-free because he wanted his
son's best friend, who has a peanut allergy, to be able to eat the
pizza. Froelich said switching out the peanut oils was a negligible
cost

"It's such a prevalent allergy," Froelich said.

While he cannot be sure the peanut-free pizza has increased sales—
though it has gained him a loyal customer base—he knows his peanut-
free baked goods have.

It "took me hours on the phone with Betty Crocker as well as with
Duncan Hines because we use their recipe, but we wanted to make sure
all the products we're using are peanut-free," Froelich said.

The pizzeria also sells cheeseless sauce pizzas by the pie for those
allergic to cheese. For Food Allergy Awareness Week, which begins
next week, Froelich said, "I'm thinking of having a cheeseless sauce
just up for slices."

"We try to accommodate as much as we can," said Sanchez, of Adobo
Grill. "We like to have those people in our restaurants—that's why we
don't change our prices whether they're gluten-free or whatever other
allergies depending on the customer."

Libreri, of Da Luciano, also communicates with his food-allergic
customers.

"They gotta call us and tell us what allergy they have, and if we can
do it, we do it," Libreri said.

Sanchez and Libreri are on the right path, in Furlong's view.

"That's what food allergy awareness is about—it's fairly simple, but
it takes communication, and partnership with a guest," she said.

She added that for food allergies, a simple message on the menu,
either telling of potential allergen ingredients or asking to notify
the staff, is often enough.

"There is not an additional cost for managing and working—the key
that's needed is to take the food allergy seriously," Furlong said.

She said, "The guest and the restaurant have the same goal in mind:
to have an enjoyable meal, and we need to keep that in perspective by
working together—they can achieve their goals."


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publication of the Medill School.
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