PlateCost Lite + Compliance documents your allergen communication process — creating a timestamped, auditable record of every recipe change and staff acknowledgment.
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The Question Every Restaurant Fears
“How do you know your server was informed that the dressing recipe changed to include sesame?”
Without PlateCost
No record of what staff were told
No proof of when recipes changed
No documentation of acknowledgment
"We told everyone during pre-shift"
With PlateCost
Recipe updated July 24 at 9:12 AM
Every affected staff member notified
John acknowledged at 9:19 AM
Maria acknowledged at 9:31 AM
How It Works
Proportionate, professional, and designed to document — not enforce.
⚠️ Important
PlateCost documents your allergen communication process. Restaurants should continue verbal pre-shift allergen briefings as part of their standard operating procedures. PlateCost is a documentation supplement — not a replacement for direct staff communication.
When allergens change on any recipe, affected staff see exactly what changed — "Fish added to House Burger Sauce." They tap "I have reviewed and understand the current allergen information." Every acknowledgment is timestamped and tied to that specific recipe version.
Staff who have not yet acknowledged see a visible warning banner when accessing the portal. They can still look up allergens and work normally — the banner creates urgency without blocking their ability to protect a guest.
Managers see a real-time view of who has acknowledged and who is still pending. One click shows name, recipe, and timestamp — ready for any inspection.
If a staff member has not acknowledged within 48 hours of an allergen change — or logs in a second time without acknowledging, whichever comes first — all managers at that location receive an email notification. Managers are responsible for following up with their team.
How It Works
When allergens change, a warning banner appears on the staff portal. Staff are prompted to review exactly what changed and tap "I have reviewed and understand the current allergen information." The banner stays visible until they acknowledge — creating a clear, timestamped record.
Staff see the banner on their next login showing exactly what allergen changed and on which recipe.
They tap to confirm they have reviewed and understand the current allergen information.
A timestamped record is saved — staff name, date, time, recipe version, and what changed.
See It In Action
Every ingredient links to every recipe. Every recipe links to every plating diagram. Staff see the full allergen picture — automatically.
Build your ingredient database once. AI scanning auto-detects allergens — including hidden ones like Fish in Worcestershire sauce. Every recipe that uses that ingredient inherits the allergen automatically.
⚠️ Hidden Allergen Example
Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies — a Fish allergen most restaurants miss. PlateCost flags it automatically.
Every ingredient in your database links to every recipe that uses it. When Worcestershire sauce is linked to House Burger Sauce, the Fish allergen flows up to the batch recipe automatically — and up to every plating diagram that uses that sauce.
✓ Allergen chain intact
House Burger Sauce shows Egg · Fish · Soy automatically — no manual entry needed.
⚠️ Unlinked ingredient warning
If a recipe ingredient is not linked to the ingredient database, PlateCost flags it — so no allergen is ever silently missed.
Ingredients
⚠️ Contains: Egg · Fish · Soy
When House Burger Sauce is linked to the Cheeseburger plating diagram, all its allergens — including Fish — flow up to the finished dish. Your FOH staff see the complete allergen list for every menu item.
💡 Your brand, not ours
Recipe cards print with your hotel or restaurant name, logo, and brand colors. Staff see your brand — PlateCost stays invisible.
The Grand Hotel
Culinary Standards & Recipe Guide
Cheeseburger & Fries
Plating DiagramPlating Instructions
Linked Components
⚠️ Allergens: Dairy · Egg · Fish · Gluten · Soy
FOH and BOH staff both see plating diagrams, allergen lookups, and bulletins. BOH also see batch recipes and prep steps. When allergens change, staff are notified on their next login and prompted to acknowledge before accessing recipes.
FOH Staff
Plating diagrams · Allergen lookup · Bulletins
BOH Staff
Batch recipes · Prep steps · Allergens
⚠️ Allergen update needs your review
Fish added to House Burger Sauce — tap to review
⚠️ Dairy · Egg · Fish · Gluten · Soy
⚠️ Dairy · Egg · Gluten
⚠️ None
Why We Notify Instead of Block
If staff cannot access allergen information and a guest has a reaction, the software could be seen as preventing staff from doing their job safely. PlateCost notifies and documents — your management team decides how to respond. That keeps the responsibility where it belongs.
Everything Included
Upload, scan, or build recipes. AI scanning auto-creates ingredients with allergen detection.
Every allergen change documented. Every acknowledgment timestamped. Auditable record ready anytime.
FOH and BOH views. PIN login. Staff see only what is relevant to their role.
ServSafe, food handler, and allergen training certs tracked on your dashboard. Expiring certifications flagged 90 days before expiry.
Recipe cards and audit trail exports with your logo and brand colors — not PlateCost branding.
Download your full allergen communication log as a CSV anytime. Your records, your responsibility.
Best For
F&B directors managing multiple outlets, room service, and banquet operations with strict brand standards.
Hospital and care facility food service where allergen documentation is critical for patient safety.
Corporate cafeterias and employee dining programs with rotating menus and diverse dietary needs.
Large-scale food service operations with high staff turnover and complex allergen requirements.
Pricing
Lite
per restaurant · 14-day free trial
Lite + Compliance
per restaurant · 14-day free trial
Card required at signup · Cancel anytime
PlateCost Lite + Compliance supports your restaurant's allergen communication process — without overpromising legal protection.
Start Free Trial → platecosthq.comPlateCost is a documentation tool, not a legal compliance guarantor. Restaurants are responsible for their own allergen procedures.
Need More Than Recipes & Allergens?
PlateCost Pro and Business add food cost tracking, invoice scanning, sales reporting, staff scheduling, and labor forecasting.
12+ hrs
saved per week on food cost tracking, scheduling & recipes
Real-time
food cost on every recipe — updated with every invoice scan
15 min
to scan an invoice and price your entire menu
Before
📊 Spreadsheet guesswork
After
📈 PlateCost dashboard
Starting at $79/mo · 14-day free trial