California Restaurant Menus Are About To Get A Major Overhaul — Here's What To Know

Eating out is about to get less stressful for anyone with food allergies in California, thanks to a new law requiring major allergens to be listed on the menu. The Allergen Disclosure for Dining Experiences (ADDE) Act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026. It requires food establishments in California with more than 20 locations to display allergen information on their menus either in printed form on the menu, or digitally with a QR code provided for guests. Under the new law, any food item containing eggs, fish, milk, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, sesame, or soybeans will have those ingredients labeled.

The ADDE Act is the first in the United States of its kind, and it was sparked by nine-year-old Abby Lao and her mother, pediatric nurse practitioner Robyn Huey Lao, in early 2025. Abby manages life threatening food allergies to tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, and sesame. Prompted by a desire to find restaurant foods she knew were safe, Robyn and Abby teamed up to bring the idea for a restaurant ingredient labeling bill to California Senator Caroline Menjivar. That bill has now passed through the legislative process and awaits its public debut.

"This law sets a new national precedent," Robyn Huey Lao said in a press release about the passing of the ADDE Act (via The National Law Review). "We're incredibly proud of how far this has come and hopeful that allergen labeling will soon become standard everywhere."

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), food allergies impact an estimated six million children and 26 million adults in America; nearly 11% of the adult population and 8% of kids. Reactions can range from irritating to life threatening, making it uncomfortable and potentially dangerous to eat out at restaurants despite strides made in related medical fields, like the new drug, Xolair, that could make food allergies less scary.

Many people who experience adverse reactions to foods have a list of strategies for dining out safely with food allergies. But even when guests notify appropriate staff of an allergy and double-check before taking a bite, one study by the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) showed allergies are still triggered about half of the time.

Restaurants enjoy some freedom from liability when potential allergens are clearly labeled on the menu, while increasing customer goodwill at the same time. Allergen labeling also sends the message that the eatery cares about a guest's experience and acknowledges the risk in eating prepared foods. While a national chain like Olive Garden has strict rules around handling food allergies, even smaller establishments not under the new California ADDE Act can go the extra mile to avoid cross-contamination and accidental allergens, and keep guests coming back for more.