Chipotle and In-N-Out Burger have been named a few of the most allergy-friendly restaurant chains in the US.
The ranking, conducted by dining guide AllergyEats, rates restaurants based on how well they accommodate diners with food allergies.
Service, food quality and ambience are not considered factors.
The list also considers feedback from the food allergy community.
Restaurants that landed a spot demonstrate " superior willingness and ability to accommodate guests with food allergies," and implement education and training to its employees, said founder Paul Antico.
This year's list includes Mexican, Italian, American, seafood, sandwich and pizza chains and is divided into two categories: large (50 restaurants or more) and small (under 50 restaurants).
AllergyEats is a crowdsourced dining app which lists 650,000 restaurants across the US. Editors also offer a few useful tips on how to dine out with food allergies.
For example, when speaking to the server or manager about your dietary needs, look out for the "deer-in-headlights" look, a red flag that could mean that the restaurant seldom accommodates these kinds of requests.
"We've found that the most accommodating restaurants are actually proud of their ability to serve food-allergic guests, with staff members often enthusiastic about explaining their food allergy policies and confident in answering your questions," editors note on the website.
"If you get concerned looks, a lot of stammering, or answers that shatter your confidence, strongly consider leaving and finding another restaurant."
Asking open-ended questions about the kinds of oil they use, for instance, also reduces the chances of a server giving a convenient yes or no guess to questions like "Are the fries cooked in peanut oil?"
Dining during off-peak hours when the restaurant is slower improves the odds of your request being honored properly.
And doing your homework properly and understanding how to identify ingredients lurking in hidden places could likewise prevent any unwanted episodes. Whey and casein, for instance, are dairy ingredients, while semolina is wheat.
Here are the most allergy-friendly large chains:
Maggiano's Little Italy
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Mellow Mushroom
In-N-Out Burger
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers
Most allergy-friendly small chains:
Burtons Grill
Legal Sea Foods
Flatbread Company
Rainforest Cafe
Not Your Average Joe's
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