How to Use AI for Menu Descriptions (Allergen Facts Must Come From Your Kitchen)

A good menu description makes a dish sound as good as it is. AI is skilled at that kind of wording. The risk is that it fills in ingredients and descriptions that are not true, and allergen information is a safety issue, not a copywriting one. This guide is part of the AI for Bar and Restaurant Owners hub.

Caution: Allergen and ingredient information must come from your kitchen and your actual recipes and suppliers, never from AI alone. Alcohol advertising, promotions and licensing rules vary by state and locality: check your state and local alcohol authority. All prices, pay and hours come from you. General information, not legal or food-safety advice. If a guest has a food allergy, a person must check the actual recipe and ingredients each time.

Wording only

Give AI the dish name, the real main ingredients and the style you want ('short and warm', 'upscale'). Ask for a one- or two-sentence description. Do not ask it to list allergens or say a dish is gluten-free, vegan or nut-free.

The nine major allergens

Under US law the FDA recognizes nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame (sesame was added as the ninth by the FASTER Act, effective January 1, 2023; see the FDA's page on the FASTER Act). The federal allergen labeling requirements apply to packaged foods and do not apply to food placed in a wrapper or container after a customer's order, and the FDA advises people with food allergies to ask restaurant staff about ingredients and preparation. That means your staff need accurate, current information from you. Your state or local food code may add its own requirements for restaurants.

Verify and keep it current

Build an allergen chart from your actual recipes and supplier ingredient labels, have the chef or manager check it and update it whenever a recipe or supplier changes. AI can help format the chart if you give it the verified data, but it must not produce the data. Train staff to take allergy questions seriously and to check with the kitchen, not guess.

Be careful with claims

Words like 'gluten-free', 'organic', 'locally sourced' or 'house-made' are claims. Use them only when they are true and, where rules apply, when you meet them. Ask your health department or an attorney if unsure.

A menu-description prompt

Write a menu description of 1 to 2 sentences (under 30 words) for a [CUISINE] restaurant dish. Dish name: [NAME]. Real main ingredients: [LIST]. Style: [SHORT, WARM, NOT FANCY]. Do not mention any ingredient I did not list. Do not make any statement about allergens, gluten, dairy, nuts, vegetarian, vegan or health. Give three options.

Check it before you use it

• Every ingredient named is really in the dish.
• No allergen, dietary or health claims were written by AI.
• Your allergen chart was built from actual recipes and labels and checked by the kitchen.
• Claims such as house-made or local are true.
• Staff know to check with the kitchen on allergy questions.

Related: allergen and alcohol rules for AI, promo and event copy and product descriptions with AI.

Want more ready-made prompts for this kind of work? Get the free AI prompt pack for bar and restaurant owners (PDF).

Frequently asked questions

Can AI make my allergen menu?

No. It can format a chart you verified, but the allergen facts must come from your recipes, labels and kitchen staff.

Which allergens must I know about?

The nine US major food allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. Your local rules may add requirements.

Can I say a dish is gluten-free?

Only if you can verify it and it is accurate for your kitchen, including cross-contact. Check local rules, and be careful with the claim.

Can AI translate my menu?

It can help, but have a fluent speaker check it, especially for ingredient and allergen wording.