A Controversial Policy on Food Allergies
Jeff Taylor, the owner of Bun X, a burger restaurant operating from two pubs in Norwich, has sparked significant controversy after implementing a policy that requires staff to turn away customers with food allergies. Despite the backlash and several one-star reviews, Taylor maintains that his approach is “extremely fair.”
Bun X is unable to accommodate individuals with gluten, nut, soya, or sesame allergies. The restaurant asks customers to disclose their allergies in advance of booking. This policy was reinforced last year when the restaurant switched booking providers to include its allergy policy in the terms and conditions that customers must accept before making a reservation.
One customer shared their experience on Google reviews: “We ordered food and then were asked if we had any allergies. They then said we couldn’t be served because one of us has a nut allergy. We had been in May and all was fine.” However, Mr. Taylor has responded to these negative reviews, stating that “we are not being pedantic, we are being extremely fair.”
Due to the size of the kitchen, Taylor explained that the business had to make difficult decisions after “due diligence concluded that there is no safe way to 100% eradicate cross contamination.” He emphasized that the buns are handmade in a bakery that handles nuts, and the sesame seeds on the buns “cover the entire kitchen.” Additionally, the kitchen uses vegetable oil made from soya beans.
The Food Standards Agency advises individuals with allergies to be upfront with restaurants to ensure they can make necessary adjustments for dietary needs. In the UK, restaurants are required to provide clear information about the 14 major allergens in their food and protect customers from cross-contamination.
Mr. Taylor expressed concerns about the legal responsibilities and liabilities associated with food allergies. “I think there’s a lot of confusion over whose responsibility and liability from a legal standpoint it is,” he told the Times. “And even some allergy sufferers don’t understand the consequences if things do go wrong.”
Since implementing this new policy, Bun X has received several negative reviews on social media, TripAdvisor, and Google, according to Mr. Taylor. One reviewer wrote: “If you have a food allergy and you want to eat there, don’t bother, they won’t serve you. Was felt like I had a disease of something.” Another person with a nut allergy stated they were “flat out refused service” despite accepting the risk, calling the business’s stance “not an acceptable one.”
Another family shared their experience online, saying that when they alerted the restaurant about an allergy, they were refused service. In response to the Google review about the family that was asked to leave due to a nut allergy, Mr. Taylor replied: “You are publicly admitting that we care for your daughter’s welfare! Before you even book you are requested to read and sign terms and conditions … They’re then resent at point of confirmation!”
“We didn’t ask about allergies as you were booking — you’d signed the [terms and conditions]. However, you are so concerned that your daughter is allergic to nuts that YOU mention it to us! So your review should read, ‘Gutted I chanced it and dragged my family out for dinner. Luckily for us the compassionate pros at Bun X are on the ball and protected my daughter!'”
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