This is the in-the-building version: something has happened, or may have happened, and there are people in the room. It assumes you are reading it either during a drill or with your phone in one hand.
If instead you are looking at a review posted four days after the meal, with no incident report and nobody who remembers the table, that is a different and in some ways harder problem.
Nothing here is behind a form. Print the page for the back-of-house board, or paste the sections you need into whatever your managers already use, and fill in your own names and numbers before you need them.
1) Stepwise triage flow (post this by the till, host stand, and BOH)
Important: If anyone shows symptoms of anaphylaxis—trouble breathing, swelling of face/lips/tongue, hives with dizziness—call emergency services immediately and follow your adrenaline auto‑injector protocol. Do not delay medical care.
Assign roles fast:
- Incident Lead (IL): Owns decisions, communication, and escalation.
- Safety Runner (SR): Calls 999, fetches the adrenaline auto‑injector, first‑aid kit and defibrillator, clears a path.
- Recorder (RC): Time‑stamps actions, collects evidence, starts the log.
90‑second priorities:
- Stabilise the person. Call 999. Use the adrenaline auto‑injector per policy. Stay with the guest.
- Stop service of suspected item(s). Isolate and label all related food/drink/product and utensils.
- Start the evidence log: time, names, product labels, order/ticket numbers, witnesses.
Step‑by‑step:
- Detect and confirm
- IL acknowledges report of a reaction or safety issue.
- SR checks symptoms; if in doubt, treat it as serious and call 999.
- Stabilise and secure
- Follow first‑aid protocols. Keep the guest comfortable and monitor breathing.
- Remove suspected items from circulation. Quarantine station/equipment.
- Communicate on‑scene
- IL identifies self to guest: “I’m the manager on duty; I’m here to help.”
- Assign one staff member to manage crowd and keep pathway clear.
- Evidence capture (start within 3 minutes)
- RC photographs labels, prep sheets, station, tickets, POS modifiers, and signage.
- Record batch/lot numbers, expiry dates, and allergen statements.
- Save CCTV clip if available and legal to do so.
- Notify and escalate
- IL references the escalation matrix below; call operator/owner as required.
- If multiple guests potentially exposed, halt service and initiate product hold.
- Documentation and chain of custody
- Bag and label physical evidence (samples, utensils) with date/time and “Do Not Use.”
- Preserve digital assets: screenshots of online comments, POS screens, delivery app notes.
- Service recovery (only after safety is under control)
- Provide calm updates to guest/family. Offer water/blanket. Do not speculate on cause.
- Waive charges and arrange transport if appropriate.
- Handover and debrief
- Give the paramedics a concise timeline and the evidence notes.
- After the guest leaves, conduct a 10‑minute team debrief: what happened, what changes now.
2) Exact reply scripts you can use verbatim
Use these manager templates for consistency. Fill in [brackets] with specifics and log a copy in the evidence log.
Public reply (social comment or review)
Thank you for alerting us, [Name]. We take safety and allergens extremely seriously. Our manager on duty is investigating now. Could you DM us your contact info and the details of your visit (date/time, order, any allergens)? We want to follow up directly and make this right.
Tone: calm, brief, zero defensiveness. Do not discuss medical details publicly.
Private DM follow‑up
Hi [Name]—I’m [Manager], the manager at [Location]. I’m very sorry for what happened. Your safety is our priority.
Could you share:
• Date/time of visit and table/order number
• Suspected allergen(s) and any symptoms experienced
• Who we should speak with directly (phone/email)
We’ve paused service of the suspected item while we investigate. I’ll keep you updated and can also speak by phone at [Direct Line]. Case ID: [####].
In‑person apology (to guest or family)
I’m [Manager]. I’m truly sorry this occurred. We’re focused on your safety first—an ambulance is on the way and we’re staying with you. Separately, we’ve stopped serving the item involved and are preserving everything for review. I’ll provide you with my card and a case ID so you can reach me anytime. Is there anyone you’d like us to contact for you now?
Phone or email follow‑up (within 24 hours)
Hi [Name], this is [Manager] from [Location]. I wanted to check on how you’re doing and to share our next steps. We’ve reviewed [brief facts—no speculation], reinforced our allergen controls with staff, and are conducting additional training. I’m sorry this happened. If you’re open to it, I’d like to [offer next step: reimburse, cover medical transport, discuss measures]. You can reach me directly at [Direct Line]. Case ID: [####].
Media holding statement (if needed)
We’re aware of an incident involving a guest with a potential allergen exposure at our [Location] on [Date]. The guest received immediate assistance and emergency services were contacted. We have paused service of the implicated item and are cooperating fully with the investigation. Safety is our top priority, and we’ll share more as appropriate.
3) Evidence capture log (timestamps/screenshots)
Create one log per incident. Keep entries factual, time‑stamped, and signed by the Recorder.
Include:
- Case ID, date/time opened and closed
- Names/roles of staff involved; guest contact (if provided)
- Suspected item(s), ingredients, supplier, lot/batch numbers
- POS order number, ticket, modifiers, allergy notes
- Photos: labels, prep area, utensils, posted allergen notices, delivery app notes
- Screenshots: public posts, DMs, caller ID logs, internal chat
- Timeline of actions: time of the 999 call, time adrenaline was given, service hold start and end
- Escalations made: who, when, how (call/text/email)
- Disposition of evidence: what was bagged, where stored, by whom
- Sign‑off by Incident Lead and next steps
Example timeline format:
- 18:42 — Guest reports tingling/swelling after [Item]. IL on scene.
- 18:43 — Ambulance called by SR. Adrenaline given per protocol.
- 18:45 — Service hold on [Station]. RC starts photos (labels, ticket #2371).
- 18:50 — Owner notified; delivery platforms paused for [Item].
- 19:25 — Ambulance leaves with the guest; IL hands over a card and Case ID #2026‑081.
4) Escalation matrix (who to call, how fast, and what to freeze)
Level Green — Inquiry or near miss
- Trigger: Customer question about allergens; no exposure/symptoms.
- Actions: Provide allergen book; verify with kitchen; note in shift log.
- Notify: None beyond shift lead.
Level Yellow — Mild reaction or product concern
- Trigger: Hives, mild GI upset, mislabelled ingredient, hairline cross‑contact risk.
- Actions: Pause item; start evidence log; IL contacts guest; gather labels.
- Notify within 30 minutes: GM/owner; supplier if labeling concern.
Level Orange — Confirmed reaction requiring medical evaluation
- Trigger: ambulance called, or the guest uses their own adrenaline pen.
- Actions: Full service hold on implicated menu group; bag samples; CCTV preservation.
- Notify immediately: Owner/ops lead; regional; legal/insurance contact; supplier QA.
Level Red — Life‑threatening reaction or multiple guests affected
- Trigger: Breathing difficulty, swelling, multiple similar complaints.
- Actions: Shut down implicated line/venue if needed; activate crisis communications.
- Notify immediately: Executive, legal/insurance, PR point, corporate safety.
Level Black — Media/legal escalation or regulatory inquiry
- Trigger: Media on site, viral post, regulator contact, hospitalization.
- Actions: Designated spokesperson only; provide holding statement; document everything.
- Notify: Executive team, legal counsel, insurer, regulatory liaison.
Routing rules:
- Social posts: Acknowledge publicly within 15 minutes; move to DM immediately.
- Phone/email complaints: Call back within 30 minutes; send written recap within 2 hours.
- Environmental health officers: notify the owner and your legal or insurance contact before responding; keep the chain of custody intact.
5) Drill cards for 5‑minute shift huddles
Run one card per shift until every supervisor can do it without prompting. Read the scenario aloud, let the team assign roles, and stop the clock at five minutes.
Card A — Yellow: “A guest says the dish tasted like peanut. No symptoms, but they are worried.”
- Who is IL, SR, RC? Name them out loud.
- What comes off the line, and who tells the kitchen?
- Which labels get photographed first?
- Who calls the GM, and within how long?
Card B — Orange: “A guest is using their own adrenaline pen at table 14.”
- Who calls 999, and what do they say in the first sentence?
- What gets bagged, and what gets written on the bag?
- Which menu group goes on hold, not just which dish?
- Who is on the phone to the owner while the guest is still on site?
Card C — Red: “Two tables report swelling within ten minutes of each other.”
- What stops immediately, and who decides?
- Who talks to guests; who talks to nobody?
- Which delivery platforms get paused, and by whom?
Card D — Black: “A phone is filming, and the post already has 400 shares.”
- Who is the designated spokesperson on this shift?
- What is the holding statement, word for word (section 2)?
- Who captures screenshots before the post is edited or deleted?
Debrief each card with one question: what did we not know, and where will we write it down?
6) Incident report and post‑incident review form
Copy these fields into your incident form. The report is filed within 24 hours; the review is completed within 7 days by someone who was not the Incident Lead.
Incident report (file within 24 hours):
- Case ID; location; date/time of incident; date/time reported
- Reporter (guest, staff, delivery platform, social post) and how it reached us
- Severity level assigned (Green/Yellow/Orange/Red/Black) and who assigned it
- Roles on shift: Incident Lead, Safety Runner, Recorder
- What the guest reported, in their words
- Suspected item(s), supplier, lot/batch, prep station
- Medical response: time of the 999 call, adrenaline given (time, by whom), outcome known at filing
- Containment: items held, stations quarantined, platforms paused, times for each
- Communications sent: public reply, DM, phone/email, media statement — with timestamps
- Evidence attached: photos, screenshots, CCTV, physical samples and where stored
- Immediate corrective actions taken before end of shift
- Filed by, date, signature
Post‑incident review (complete within 7 days):
- Root cause across people, process, product, place — state the cause, not the person
- What worked in the response; what took too long, with the timestamp that shows it
- Was the severity level right in hindsight? If not, what would have changed it?
- Controls added or changed: prep sheets, labels, allergen matrix, station layout, training
- Three improvements, each with a named owner and a due date
- Guest outcome and final contact made (if known)
- Reviewer name, leadership sign‑off, date the evidence log was closed
7) Post‑incident follow‑up and training
Within 24 hours:
- Restock and check adrenaline auto‑injectors, first aid and PPE; check expiry dates.
- Deep‑clean and re‑sanitise implicated stations; replace porous tools and boards.
- Review allergen matrix against menu; correct prep sheets and line labels.
- Conduct a 15‑minute all‑hands huddle: what happened, corrected controls, key reminders.
- Send a brief internal incident summary with three improvements and owners.
Within 7 days:
- Complete a root‑cause analysis: people, process, product, place. Document fixes.
- Update onboarding and shift‑drill cards. Add scenario practice to pre‑shift briefings.
- Close the evidence log with final actions, guest outcome (if known), and leadership sign‑off.
Before you need it
- Print the page, or paste it into your team doc, and fill in your own names and numbers now. A playbook with blanks in it is not a playbook.
- Post the triage flow back of house, front of house, and at the delivery station.
- Save the reply scripts as text snippets on the managers' phones.
- Run one drill card this week. Card A takes five minutes and will find at least one gap.
Two honest limits
This is a response process, not a control. Everything above starts after something has gone wrong. It does nothing about the allergen matrix being out of date or the ticket that arrives at the pass without the modification on it, which is where most incidents are actually manufactured.
Severity levels are a judgement, made fast, usually by whoever is nearest. The matrix helps, but a supervisor will occasionally call Yellow when it was Orange. Build for that: the review at seven days should ask whether the level was right in hindsight, and nobody should be in trouble for over‑escalating. Over‑escalation costs you an hour and a phone call. Under‑escalation costs considerably more.
An allergy mention in a review is one of the few signals worth waking someone up for, which is why we route those separately and immediately rather than into the ordinary reply queue — but the process above is the part that matters, and it works on paper.