California restaurant chains forced to change menus forever as new law bites

Diners at Outback Steakhouse and other major restaurant chains in California are about to see a permanent shakeup on their menus — and it isn’t a new cut of beef.

Starting July 1, the chain will be required to clearly disclose if each menu item contains any of the nation’s nine major food allergens, thanks to a first-of-its-kind California law aimed at protecting millions of people with food allergies.

The Allergen Disclosure for Dining Experiences Act, known as Senate Bill 68, forces restaurants with 20 or more locations nationwide and at least one of those in California, to explicitly say if menu items contain any of the “Big Nine,” including: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soybeans, fish, shellfish, and sesame.

Outback Steakhouse must now provide detailed allergen information across all their physical and digital menus, plus third-party delivery apps, kiosks, and drive-thru boards. Chains can provide the data directly under the printed dish descriptions or via a scannable QR code.

However, if they chose the digital route, the must provide a physical backup booklet or separate allergen menu for anyone with a smartphone.

Outback is one of several national chains scrambling to comply before the deadline. Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn Steakhouse are also affected by the sweeping legislation.

The measure was signed into law last year after being authored by Senator Caroline Menjivar, who called the legislation “lifesaving” for all of the Californians living with food allergies.

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