A restaurant may have liability (legal responsibility) for a customer’s allergic reaction to food the restaurant serves a customer—but only if the restaurant was negligent in some way, such as by serving a customer a food item or ingredient after the customer informed the restaurant of an allergy to that food item or ingredient.

Most restaurants seek to protect the health and safety of their customers by asking about food allergies during the food ordering process; disclosing key ingredients on the menu; and posting the warning to customers (as required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Code) that “consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.”

Many states have also enacted laws (statutes) that require restaurants to provide warnings and disclosures to consumers. These statutes are often located in a state’s health and safety code or a similarly named code (a code is a compilation of related statutes).

Food allergies are common, with approximately one in ten adults having a food allergy. An allergic reaction occurs when a person is exposed to an allergen—often a food protein consumed while eating foods such as tree nuts, fish, peanuts (and peanut butter), shellfish, eggs, and cow’s milk.

Allergic reactions to these and other food items can range from mild irritations (swelling, itching) to potential deadly anaphylaxis with difficulty breathing, shock, vomiting, and nausea. These reactions are generally responses from a person’s immune system when it is attempting to protect the body and overreacts by producing antibodies (immunoglobulin).

In Pennsylvania, a restaurant may be held liable for a customer's allergic reaction to food if the restaurant was negligent, such as by serving a food item that the customer had previously informed the restaurant they were allergic to. Negligence in this context means that the restaurant failed to exercise reasonable care to avoid causing injury to the customer. Pennsylvania restaurants typically take measures to prevent such incidents by inquiring about allergies, disclosing ingredients on menus, and adhering to the FDA's Food Code, which includes warnings about the risks of consuming raw or undercooked foods. While specific Pennsylvania statutes regarding food allergy disclosures in restaurants were not detailed in this summary, generally, state health and safety codes may impose additional requirements for warnings and disclosures. It is important for restaurants to be aware of and comply with these regulations to minimize the risk of liability for allergic reactions. If a restaurant fails to meet these obligations and a customer suffers an allergic reaction, the customer may have grounds to pursue a legal claim for damages. An attorney specializing in personal injury or food safety law can provide more detailed information on the specific duties and potential liabilities of restaurants in Pennsylvania.