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As awareness of food allergies has grown, many restaurants have introduced allergy-friendly menus that flag common allergens alongside each dish. Yet nutrition researchers caution that such labeling, while useful, cannot fully substitute for direct communication between diner and kitchen. Cross-contamination during preparation is rarely captured by a printed symbol, and a dish listed as free of a particular allergen may still be cooked on shared equipment or with shared utensils. Some restaurants have responded by training kitchen staff in dedicated allergen protocols, including separate preparation stations, but researchers note this remains uneven across the industry. The menu, in this view, functions best as a starting point for conversation rather than a guarantee of safety.