LEON's CEO warns customers with allergies to be careful when dining with them
The chief executive’s message stirred uneasiness to some of their consumers.
The CEO and co-founder of LEON has advised customers with serious allergies to “consider carefully” when they choose to dine in the fast food chain.
In a letter on the chain's blog, John Vincent explained that despite their strict kitchen processes in handling allergens, there is no guarantee that there will be no mistakes.
“When ingredients are in the same kitchen it is impossible to guarantee that your dish will be allergen-free. There is always a very small risk that an allergen in the building will end up in a dish it’s not meant to be in,” Vincent said.
However, some interpreted the message that LEON has no confidence that their food are safe, whilst some feared the restaurant would turn away their customers with serious allergies.
“Headlines can sometimes be misleading - we are absolutely not turning away customers. We have two responsibilities to guests with severe allergies: to minimise the risks and to communicate the remaining risks,” the fast food chain said in its Twitter page. “We feel it’s crucial that we have an open and honest conversation about this issue and we are determined to put the wellbeing of our guests first.”
LEON have been trialling an allergen awareness initiative since November 2018, requiring staff to ask about a customer’s dietary preferences or allergies.
There have been also similar moves by the government and restaurant businesses to have both operator and consumer aware of the allergen information of every food ordered, following the death of a teenage girl who suffered an allergic reaction to Pret A Manger’s sandwich.
Photo credit: LEON Facebook
