Samtouch Food Allergies

For restaurants, cafés, takeaways, bars and other hospitality businesses, managing food allergies is an important part of providing a safe and professional service. Customers need clear and accurate information about the food they are ordering, while staff need to be able to access that information quickly and confidently.

With Samtouch EPOS, food allergen information can be incorporated directly into the point-of-sale system, helping staff check relevant allergen information as part of the ordering process.

Why food allergen information matters

Food allergies and intolerances can have a significant impact on customers.
For someone with a serious food allergy, consuming even a small amount of an allergen can result in a severe reaction.

UK food businesses have a legal responsibility to provide information about the presence of the 14 regulated allergens in food they provide. The Food Standards Agency also stresses that allergen information must be accurate,
available and easily accessible to customers. (GOV.UK)

The 14 regulated allergens are:

• Celery

• Cereals containing gluten

• Crustaceans

• Eggs

• Fish

• Lupin

• Milk

• Molluscs

• Mustard

• Peanuts

• Sesame

• Soybeans

• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites

• Tree nuts

For hospitality businesses, the challenge is making sure this information is readily available to staff when customers ask questions.

How Samtouch can help

Samtouch includes a dedicated Food Allergens feature designed to assist operators when taking orders.

Allergen information can be associated with products within the Samtouch system, allowing staff to check whether a particular product contains relevant allergens before completing the sale. (Samtouch
EPOS Solution)

This can be particularly useful during busy periods when staff need to respond to customer questions quickly without relying solely on memory, paper notes or separate reference documents.

Quick access to allergen information

When a customer asks whether a dish contains a particular allergen, staff can use the Samtouch system to check the product information as part of the ordering process.

This helps staff provide customers with information more efficiently and can reduce the need to search through separate paperwork or contact another member of staff.

Supporting more consistent customer service

Hospitality businesses often have several members of staff taking orders.
Ensuring everyone has access to the same product information can help create a more consistent approach to allergen enquiries.

Rather than relying on individual staff members to remember ingredients, information can be maintained centrally through the Samtouch back-office system.
(Samtouch EPOS Solution)

Useful during busy service periods

Allergen enquiries can happen at any point during service. During a busy lunch, dinner or takeaway period, staff need to deal with these questions efficiently while still giving them the appropriate attention.

Having allergen information available through the EPOS system can help integrate allergen checks into the normal ordering process.

Allergen information at the table

For restaurants using Samtouch OrderPad, staff can also enquire about allergy information while taking orders at the customer’s table.

Samtouch OrderPad is designed to allow waiting staff to take orders directly at the table and send them through to the Samtouch POS system. The system includes allergen functionality to help staff check relevant information during
the ordering process. (Samtouch EPOS Solution)

This can help reduce the need for staff to return to a fixed till terminal simply to check or enter an order.

Keeping information up to date

One of the most important aspects of allergen management is ensuring that Recipes can change, ingredients can be replaced and suppliers may introduce different products. If a dish or ingredient changes, the associated allergen information should also be reviewed and updated.

Samtouch allows product information to be maintained through its back-office system, helping businesses keep their EPOS information aligned with their current menu. (Samtouch EPOS Solution)

However, an EPOS system should be viewed as a supporting tool, rather than a replacement for proper allergen management procedures, staff training and appropriate kitchen controls.

More than just an EPOS feature

Effective allergen management involves more than identifying allergens on a till system.

Businesses also need appropriate procedures for food preparation, storage, staff training and preventing cross-contamination. The Food Standards Agency recommends that food businesses manage allergens effectively and ensure staff receive appropriate training. (GOV.UK)

Samtouch can form part of this wider approach by putting relevant product information closer to the point where orders are taken.

Why choose Samtouch for hospitality?

Samtouch is designed specifically to support retail and hospitality environments, with features including food allergen management, table service, promotions, multiple price levels, digital receipts and flexible EPOS operation.
(Samtouch EPOS Solution)

For hospitality businesses, bringing these functions together in one system can make everyday operations easier to manage while helping staff provide a more efficient customer experience.

Give your staff better access to allergen information

Customers with food allergies need confidence that their questions will be taken seriously and answered accurately.

For hospitality businesses, Samtouch provides a practical way of incorporating allergen information into the ordering process. By making relevant information readily accessible at the point of sale, businesses can help their staff respond more efficiently while supporting their wider food safety and allergen management procedures.

If you operate a restaurant, café, takeaway, bar or other hospitality business, Samtouch EPOS can help bring allergen information and order management together in one system.

Find out more about Samtouch Food Allergens and hospitality EPOS solutions from Hunters Solutions.
(huntersolutionsltd.com)