The 14 EU allergens on a restaurant menu: what the rules say

A practical summary with links to the legal texts. The EU sets the list; each country decides how restaurants must present it. Spain is used as the worked example. This is not legal advice: check with your local food authority.

The 14 allergens

• Cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk (including lactose), tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia), celery, mustard, sesame, sulphur dioxide and sulphites (above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/l), lupin and molluscs. This is Annex II of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011.
• Alcohol is not on the list, but many guests want to know about it. Marking it is voluntary and helpful.

EU rule for food served unpackaged

Article 44 of Regulation 1169/2011 makes allergen information mandatory for non-prepacked food, including restaurant dishes. Member states decide how it must be given.

Example: Spain (Royal Decree 126/2015)

• Information may be written (menu, sign, label) or given by “other appropriate means”, as long as the guest can access it before ordering and at no extra cost (art. 6.5).
• If it is given orally, it must also be recorded in writing or electronically on the premises, and a visible sign must say where it is or that guests can ask staff.
• Mandatory information must be available at least in Spanish (art. 10). Other languages are an extra, not a replacement.

Where a QR menu fits

A digital menu with allergens per dish works as an electronic record guests can see before ordering. Keep the local-language version always available, plus a way to inform guests who don't use a phone.

Gluten-free claims

“Gluten-free” may only be used for food with at most 20 mg/kg of gluten (Implementing Regulation (EU) 828/2014). If you can't rule out cross-contamination, say “no gluten ingredients, shared kitchen” instead.

How it works

1. Upload your menu as PDF, Excel or text (or send it to us and we upload it for free). Review it and publish.
2. MenuDoro translates it into 10 languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Greek and Chinese.
3. Print one QR code per table. Guests scan it with their camera, no app to download, and see the menu in their language.
4. They order from their phone. The ticket reaches the kitchen screen in your language, with table and dishes in writing.

Frequently asked questions

Are allergen icons mandatory?

No specific icon format is required. What matters is that the information is available, accessible before ordering and in the required language.

Do drinks count?

Yes. Wine usually contains sulphites, and many beers contain gluten.

Do the rules differ in Portugal or Italy?

The 14 allergens are the same across the EU; the way they must be presented is set nationally. Check your country's rules.

No made-up numbers: MenuDoro is a new product and this page describes what it does today. Updated: 2026-10-13.