California's Food Allergy Law has Arrived. Is Your Event Safe?

Tomorrow is a historic day for food allergy safety in America. California's ADDE Act — the Allergen Disclosure for Dining Experiences Act — officially takes effect on July 1. It's the first law in the United States to require chain restaurants to list the Top 9 major allergens directly on their menus. Named for Addie Lao, a nine-year-old food allergy advocate who dreamed of eating at a restaurant without fear, this law is a landmark. And it matters far beyond the restaurant industry. And here's what that means for your events: hotel management companies operating 20 or more locations nationwide may need to comply. The high-end corporate restaurant groups — the ones you book for client dinners, incentive programs, and VIP receptions — are in scope too. For the first time, allergen transparency is a legal requirement at many of the venues where your events are held. Our attendees don't check their food allergies at the registration desk. They bring them to your buffet, your plated dinner, your opening reception. This law raises the bar — and your guests' expectations are rising with it. Tomorrow on Eating at a Meeting LIVE, I'm going to break it all down — what the ADDE Act requires, who it covers, and what it signals for the future of allergen transparency at meetings and events. If you plan events, manage F&B, run a hotel, or feed guests for a living, you need to be in this conversation. Join me LIVE tomorrow. Bring your questions. Drop them in the comments now — I want to hear what you're thinking about as this law goes into effect.