We’d like to cater lunch for employees. Do we need to ask them about food allergies?

July 16, 2025

No. However, employees who do have food allergies or restrictions would likely appreciate it if you made sure that they also get to partake of the free food. You can manage this by asking employees about food preferences or prohibitions ahead of time, ordering a variety of items so that everyone has at least one option, and listing the ingredients of the items that are brought in. Most restaurants should be able to accommodate a request for ingredient lists.

This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.