Guide · Buffet labels
Banquet allergen checklist: confirm the menu before doors
Written by a hotel banquet operations manager ·
Before a banquet's labels go out, each dish on the event's menu should be read against the recipe with the kitchen, every allergen hint should be ticked or marked "Not in this dish", and a manager should confirm the list; in Hotelwright the Contains line prints only after that confirmation, which records the manager's name and the time.
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The checklist
Tick these in order, for each event with a menu.
- The menu on paper matches the dishes on screen. Compare the paper menu with the dish list. If the order changed, re-read the lines.
- Every dish has been read against the recipe with the kitchen. The list is only as good as that conversation.
- Each allergen in a dish is ticked from the nine: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy and sesame.
- Each hint is resolved. Hotelwright shows hints on dish names and descriptions, such as "Word hint: cream can mean milk". Tick the allergen or mark it "Not in this dish". Confirm stays locked until none are open.
- A dish with no allergens is a deliberate choice. If no dish on the event has a Contains line, Hotelwright asks you to check with the kitchen that none contains any of the nine.
- A manager confirms. The button reads that the kitchen checked the allergens and that the hotel is responsible for them. Only a manager can confirm.
- Labels print. After confirmation the Contains line prints, and the confirmer's name and the time are recorded.
- Any change after confirmation starts again at step 4. Changing a dish's name, description or Contains, or re-reading the menu, clears the confirmation, on purpose.
What the hints are
The hints come from a short hand-written word list: Hotelwright looks for words like cream, bread, shrimp or tahini in the dish name and description, in English and Spanish. A hint is a prompt to look, not a result. A dish with no hint can still contain an allergen, because the list only has words that clearly imply one, so step 2 (the conversation with the kitchen) is never skipped. Hotelwright does not detect allergens or check recipes.
Who does what
| Person | Job |
|---|---|
| Chef or kitchen lead | Says what is in each dish |
| Banquet office | Enters it and resolves the hints |
| Manager | Confirms for the hotel |
| Captain | Knows the list at line-up and sends allergy questions to the chef |
FAQ
What banquet managers ask.
What should be on a banquet allergen checklist?
Read each dish with the kitchen, tick the allergens, resolve every hint, have a manager confirm, then print.
Why can't I press Confirm?
At least one hint is still open. Tick the allergen in the dish or mark it "Not in this dish" for each, then confirm.
Who can confirm the allergens?
A manager. The confirmation records their name and the time.
What happens if the menu changes after I confirm?
The confirmation clears and the Contains line is held back until a manager confirms again. Old labels are marked Stale.
Does Hotelwright find the allergens for me?
No. It shows hints and holds the line until a person confirms. The hotel is responsible for the list.