How we document & verify listings

We document protocols — we never certify safety. Every claim shows its source, its tier (Listed / Allergen menu documented / Protocol documented / Protocol documented + community corroborated), and when it was last confirmed.

Listings start from sources in a fixed order of trust: a chain’s own published allergen matrix, the restaurant’s own allergen menu or protocol statement, public licence and open-data records for base facts, and structured reports from diners. We do not copy reviews or listings from other directories, and we do not treat a review that says "staff were knowledgeable" as evidence of a protocol.

Each allergen on a listing is graded separately. "Allergen menu documented" means we found and dated the restaurant’s own item-by-item allergen document. "Protocol documented" means a structured set of practices — dedicated fryer or prep, glove changes, order flagging, staff training — is documented in the restaurant’s own materials or in its answers to our protocol questionnaire. "Protocol documented + community corroborated" adds at least three independent, dated diner reports consistent with that protocol and no unresolved contradiction in the last 12 months.

A chain’s corporate protocol is a ceiling, not a location guarantee: a branch inherits at most the allergen-menu tier from head-office documents until the location itself is corroborated. Protocol tiers are re-confirmed every six months and render as expired when they lapse.

The rules that never bend

• Every niche claim on a listing carries a named source and a date. No source, no claim — the page shows the gap and what to ask instead.
• Verification tiers describe where information came from. They are never sold, and paying for featured placement never changes a tier.
• Tiers expire without re-confirmation, and an expired tier is shown as expired.
• Corrections are logged publicly on the listing itself. Spotted something wrong? Report a change.

Disclaimer

ConfidentDiner collects allergen and preparation information from restaurants’ published materials, from restaurants themselves, and from diners. Information is dated and sourced, but menus, ingredients, suppliers, staff, and kitchen practices change without notice, and cross-contact can occur in any non-dedicated kitchen. Nothing on this site is medical advice or a guarantee that any restaurant or dish is safe for any individual. Always tell the restaurant about your allergy, confirm current practices directly before ordering, and make your own decision with your medical professional’s guidance.