What Restaurant Operators Need to Know About California’s New Allergen Disclosure Law (ADDE Act)

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 68, the Allergen Disclosure for Dining Experiences (ADDE) Act that will require California restaurants with 20 or more locations to disclose the “Top Nine” allergens on their menus. While similar legislation has been  in place in the European Union  since 2014, this is the first of its kind in the nation.

“For restaurant operators, the ADDE Act adds another layer of compliance,” explained Pooja Nair, Partner at Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP. “Restaurants will need to set aside resources to update menus and train staff before the July 1, 2026 compliance date."

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) applauded the passage saying it will help change the culture in California to be inclusive for those with food allergies. 

“With food allergies affecting more people each year, the ADDE Act’s simple menu disclosure requirement can prevent dangerous reactions and save lives,” said Kenneth Mendez, President and CEO of AAFA. “Millions of Californians have food allergies. Allergen disclosure works – it helps provide a better dining experience for people with food allergies and reduces the incidence of food allergy reactions. Not only does this law provide a level of protection for diners, it also helps restaurants attract loyal customers. The legislation is a win-win for California families and restaurants.”

Dylan McDonnell, founder and CEO of Foodini, an AI-powered platform  that maps every menu ingredient to 150+ dietary profiles, tells Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine the law will push restaurants to operate with the same rigor around ingredient data that they already apply to food safety. 

“Recipes will need to be documented, and every substitution tracked. Menu items cannot be changed or added without the menu being updated to reflect the corresponding allergen information. This naturally creates tighter collaboration between culinary teams and procurement, since vendor specifications and product reformulations now have downstream disclosure implications.

He predicts operators will look to develop closer vendor partnerships to secure up-to-date spec sheets and advanced notice of product reformulations. 

“Restaurants will likely have a preference for suppliers with robust allergen statements and batch-level traceability. Restaurants also will be less amenable to last-minute substitutions that create disclosure work – especially without advanced notice. 

McDonnell added that the biggest challenge for restaurants is maintaining accurate allergen information across all physical and digital menus. 

“Most operators want to serve guests safely; what holds them back is that ingredient information is fragmented and constantly changing. Recipes live in one system, vendor spec sheets in another, and substitutions or limited-time offers introduce new risks weekly.”

At the same time, modern menus appear across multiple channels—printed materials, menu boards, websites, kiosks, and delivery marketplaces—and every one of those touchpoints must say the same thing, he noted. 

“For many brands, that requires a new level of coordination between culinary, procurement, marketing, and operations teams. Ensuring allergen information is updated simultaneously in all of these places, when there is any change, is challenging.”

McDonnell said Foodini was designed to make allergen disclosure a manageable, repeatable process rather than a one-off compliance project. It integrates with back-of-house systems and vendor databases to gather recipe and ingredient data automatically. From there, the engine standardizes and tags every item against major allergens and dietary needs, flagging any discrepancies or changes.

On the customer side, the benefits are enormous: written, reliable allergen information builds trust and loyalty, McDonnell stressed. 

“And this is not a small community – 33 million Americans have a diagnosed food allergy; while 173 million Americans have a dietary need (includes allergy, intolerance or lifestyle diet). When guests know a brand takes their health seriously, they’re more likely to dine in, order again, and recommend the experience to others. Mistakes are also reduced – staff are no longer required to be experts on every allergen in every menu item – this is managed by a centralized, accurate source of truth.”

Nair advises all restaurant operators in the state should  take notice. 

“Given California legislative trends, I would expect the scope of the law to eventually expand to cover smaller restaurants, even though the law is starting with food facilities that have 20 locations or more. California already requires food facility operators to have knowledge of food allergens and symptoms of allergic reactions through the food handler training system.”

McDonnell added that  since most national chains prefer consistency across states, the practices adopted to meet California’s ADDE requirements will likely become the de facto national standard. 

“Consumer expectations have already shifted—diners increasingly want to see transparent, trustworthy information, regardless of state borders. SMB’s and smaller chains will start to share this information voluntarily as it becomes the consumer expectation. Digitally connected menus will gain importance because they allow operators to update allergen information dynamically without reprinting materials."

A lifelong celiac, McDonnell adds that for anyone living with a condition like celiac disease or nut allergies, reliable written information is life-changing.

“There is nothing more frightening for someone with a food allergy, than looking a server in the eye and hearing the dreaded 'I think this is soy free.' And it’s often not their fault;how can they answer the question with accuracy and confidence if the information is not clearly documented? It eliminates the guesswork that comes with verbal assurances or inconsistent menu notes. The ADDE Act will help ensure that whether someone is ordering in person, through a QR code, or via delivery, they’re seeing the same accurate information every time.”

Beyond safety,  the act represents inclusion, McDonnell said. 

“It sends a message that guests with dietary needs are not an afterthought but just as important as the rest of the dining community—and that, more than anything, changes how people with allergies feel about going out to eat.”