The National Restaurant Association (NRA) will hold a series of webinars, set for Aug. 26, Sept. 3 and Sept. 9, to educate restaurateurs on how to accommodate diners with food allergies.

The webinars coincide with the NRA’s recent rollout of its ServSafe Allergens™ Online Course, created in partnership with FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education). The course is designed to help operators serve customers with food allergies.

“Studies have shown that 15 million Americans have food allergies,” said David Crownover, product manager for ServSafe. “People who deal with this life-threatening condition often are unsure of which restaurants can safely accommodate them — if at all.

“Restaurants need to first determine if they are able to accommodate someone who has food allergies,” he continued. “If they can, they need to train their employees on how to do so safely."

Crownover will lead the seminars, which will focus on:

• Risks that food allergies represent for restaurateurs who are not fully informed
• Revenue opportunities for restaurateurs who explore this market segment
• Core allergen concepts that will help front- and back-of-the-house employees accommodate guests with food allergies.

“Serving customers with food allergies is a growing trend, and restaurateurs are starting to understand that,” Crownover said. “If these issues are addressed properly, there is the potential for bottom-line profit growth. To achieve that, however, restaurateurs must first understand what it takes to accommodate guests, work with their customers, train staff correctly, and communicate the importance of that training.”

To learn more about the ServSafe Allergens Online Course, see www.foodallergens.com or contact David Crownover at dcrownover@restaurant.org.