What to check in a cafe: hygiene, allergens and access

What allergen information must a cafe give?

The law names 14 allergens. A cafe must tell you if any of them is an ingredient in food it makes or sells loose. They are celery, cereals that contain gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and tree nuts.

For food made to order, the cafe can tell you on the menu, on a board, or by speaking to you. If it does it by speaking, there should be a notice that tells you to ask. The Food Standards Agency would like cafes to give written information too, but that is an expectation and not yet a rule.

What is 'prepacked for direct sale'?

This covers food that is made and wrapped on the premises before you choose it. Think of a pre-made sandwich, a salad pot or a wrapped cake in a cafe fridge.

Since 1 October 2021, that food must carry a label with its name and a full list of ingredients. The 14 allergens must stand out, usually in bold. It is known as Natasha's Law. A sandwich made to order for you is not in this group, so staff can answer your questions about it directly.

How do I ask about allergies in a cafe?

• Tell staff about your allergy before you order, every time.
• Ask which of the 14 allergens are in the exact item you want.
• Ask if it was made before you came in or made to order.
• Ask about cross-contact, such as shared toasters, boards and knives.
• Ask staff to check and not to guess. If they cannot be sure, pick something else.

Is oat or plant milk safe if I have a milk allergy?

Not automatically. If a cafe uses the same steam wand and jugs for dairy milk and for plant milk, traces of milk can end up in the plant drink. The cafe cannot promise there is no cross-contact in that case.

If you have a serious milk allergy, say so and ask how the drink is made. A good cafe will tell you honestly, and may use a clean jug and wand for you.

How do I check a cafe's hygiene rating?

Use the Food Standards Agency ratings website at ratings.food.gov.uk for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Search the name and the town. Scotland uses a different scheme, with Pass or Improvement Required, published by Food Standards Scotland.

In Wales and Northern Ireland, a cafe must show its rating sticker. In England it is voluntary, so a missing sticker in England means nothing on its own. Always look at the inspection date next to the score.

What about access for disabled customers?

In Great Britain, the Equality Act 2010 says a business serving the public must make reasonable adjustments for disabled customers. What is reasonable depends on the size of the business and how practical the change is. A listed building with a step is treated differently from a new unit.

Assistance dogs are a clear case. Refusing entry to a customer with an assistance dog is almost always unlawful discrimination. A food hygiene worry is not a lawful reason. Northern Ireland has its own disability law.

Does a cafe have to give me tap water?

In England and Wales, a cafe with an alcohol licence must give you free tap water on request. A cafe without a licence does not have to, although many will. In Scotland the rule also applies to licensed premises.

What about service charges and tips?

A service charge must be shown clearly before you order if it is to be part of the deal. Under the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023, tips and service charges must be passed to staff in full, and the business must have a written policy on how it does that.

Can I use the toilet without buying anything?

A cafe's toilets are private. The business decides who may use them. Many will say yes, but they do not have to. Public toilets run by the council are a separate matter.

What if something goes wrong?

For food that made you ill, or wrong allergen information, report it to the food safety team at the council for the area. Keep any packaging and note what you ate and when. See a doctor if symptoms are severe, and call 999 for swelling or trouble breathing.

For poor service or a wrong order, raise it with the cafe first. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, and food must be as described.