Food and brunch English · English through Australian life

Food Allergy Conversations in Australian Cafés: Clear English for Customers and Staff

Learn how to communicate a food allergy clearly and when café staff must check accurate allergen information.

Published 14/10/2026 · Updated 16/10/2026 · Educational guide

What you need to know

Food allergies can be serious. A café conversation should identify the allergy clearly and verify food ingredients and cross-contact risks. These sample phrases do not establish that any meal is safe.

Customers should clearly disclose the specific allergy and ask about ingredients and possible cross-contact. Staff should check current ingredient information and established procedures, rather than guess or promise safety.

If information is unavailable or the café cannot prepare an item safely, say so plainly. Food allergy is different from a preference or intolerance.

Useful English phrases

• I have a serious peanut allergy. Could you check the ingredients?
• Is there a risk of cross-contact in your kitchen?
• I need to confirm that with our kitchen team.
• I can't guarantee this item is safe for your allergy.
• Would you like to speak with the manager?

Real-life conversation practice

A longer conversation: a customer with an egg allergy asks about a menu item

• "I don't want to guess" is a clear, honest phrase for staff. It tells the customer you will check, not assume.
• The customer names the allergy and asks two separate questions: ingredients and cross-contact. This is clearer than just saying "Is it safe?".
• "Not suitable for you" is a careful way to say the item should be avoided. It does not suggest that any other item is safe.

More useful phrases

It's an allergy, not a preference.

I cannot eat this food because it can make me seriously unwell. It is not just something I dislike.Use it: When a customer wants staff to understand how seriously to take the request.

Can you check whether it's made with or near milk?

Please find out if the food contains milk or is prepared close to milk.Use it: When a customer wants to ask about ingredients and cross-contact in one sentence.

Is there an allergen information sheet I could look at?

Does the café have a written list of allergens in its food?Use it: When a customer wants to see current written information, and staff are not sure.

I'm not sure, so I'll find out for you.

I do not know the answer, but I will ask someone who does.Use it: When staff are asked a question they cannot answer.

I'm sorry, we can't prepare that safely for you.

We cannot make this item in a way that protects you from the allergen.Use it: When the kitchen decides it cannot prepare an item for an allergy.

Could you ask the person who made it?

Please ask the cook or chef who prepared the food.Use it: When a customer needs details only the kitchen team knows.

Common mistakes and better ways to say it

• Less helpful: “I think it's fine.”

  Try instead: “I'll check with the kitchen and let you know.”

  Allergies can be serious, so staff should check, not guess.

• Less helpful: “I'm allergic to nuts.”

  Try instead: “I have a serious cashew allergy. Could you check the ingredients and cross-contact?”

  Naming the specific allergy and asking exact questions helps staff find the right information.

• Less helpful: “It's only a small amount, so it won't matter.”

  Try instead: “I'll find out if it contains that ingredient, even in a small amount.”

  Staff should not decide for the customer. Even a small amount can matter, so the answer must come from checked information.

• Less helpful: “I don't like dairy, so can you make it without milk?”

  Try instead: “I have a milk allergy, so I need to know about milk in this item.”

  Using the word allergy tells staff to follow the allergy procedure, while a preference may be handled differently.

Allergy, intolerance and preference

In Australia, you will hear three different ideas in cafés. An allergy involves the body's immune system and can be serious. An intolerance usually causes discomfort and is different from an allergy. A preference is simply what someone likes. Customers should say clearly which one applies, and use the word "allergy" only when it is one.

Menus may have symbols or notes, but they should not replace a conversation. Recipes and suppliers can change, so staff should check current information with the kitchen or manager. For health questions, customers should speak to their own doctor. See the official guidance linked on this page for more information.

Try it yourself

Practise the conversation with a friend. Swap roles, use one new phrase, then ask a polite clarification question. Speak slowly first, then repeat at a natural pace.

Continue learning

• Café English hub
• How to order coffee in Australia
• Café workplace English
• Handling Customer Complaints in an Australian Café: Polite English
• Your First Busy Café Shift: Teamwork and Workplace English
• How to Take a Customer’s Coffee Order in English

Official Australian references

These independent authorities provide the underlying regulatory or safety guidance. Links are external references, not sponsorships or endorsements.

• FSANZ: food-service allergy guidance
• FSANZ: consumer allergy information

This is an English-learning article. For current legal, workplace or health requirements, follow the linked official guidance and your organisation's procedures.