If you have a food allergy, eating out can sometimes feel like taking a risk. You trust restaurants to be honest about what their food contains and to keep you safe. However, mistakes can happen and if they do, the consequences can be serious. If you suffered an allergic reaction after eating at Pizza Hut, you might wonder if you can claim compensation.
This guide explains your legal rights in the UK, how restaurant allergy laws work, and what you can do if Pizza Hut or any food outlet failed in its duty of care towards you.
Understanding Food Allergies
A food allergy happens when your immune system reacts to certain ingredients as though they are harmful. Even a small trace of an allergen can cause a reaction. The symptoms can range from mild (such as a rash or itching) to life-threatening, such as anaphylaxis, which can cause breathing difficulties, collapse, or loss of consciousness.
If you experience an allergic reaction, it can be frightening and distressing, especially when it occurs after you took steps to stay safe. In such cases, the law may protect you and allow you to claim compensation if the restaurant was at fault.
The Legal Duty of Restaurants in the UK
Every restaurant, café, and takeaway in the UK (including Pizza Hut) has a legal duty of care to keep customers safe. This duty comes from several laws, including:
- The Food Safety Act 1990, which requires food businesses to make sure their food is safe to eat and accurately described.
- The Consumer Protection Act 1987, which holds manufacturers or suppliers responsible if their food products are defective and cause harm.
- The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, which requires businesses to ensure their premises are safe for visitors.
- The Food Information Regulations, which enforce the rule that allergen information must be clearly available for all customers.
If a restaurant breaches any of these duties and you suffer harm, you may be able to bring a claim for compensation.
The 14 Allergens Restaurants Must Disclose
By law, restaurants and food outlets must inform customers if their food contains any of the 14 main allergens recognised under UK law. These include:
- Milk
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts)
- Fish
- Crustaceans (like prawns and crabs)
- Molluscs (such as squid and mussels)
- Soya
- Celery
- Mustard
- Sesame
- Sulphur dioxide or sulphites (found in dried fruits and some drinks)
- Lupin
- Cereals containing gluten (including wheat, rye, barley, and oats)
The information about these allergens must be easy to find — either on menus, packaging, or notices displayed in-store. If a restaurant fails to do this, and it causes you harm, you could be entitled to make a claim.
How a Breach Can Happen
Even when restaurants have good systems in place, human errors sometimes occur. Some examples of negligence that could lead to an allergic reaction include:
- The menu or website does not clearly list allergens.
- A member of staff gives incorrect information about what a dish contains.
- Your request to remove or replace an ingredient is ignored.
- The wrong meal is served, such as a regular pizza instead of a gluten-free one.
- The kitchen fails to prevent cross-contamination, where traces of allergens from one dish end up in another.
If any of these situations caused your reaction, the restaurant may have breached its duty of care.
Can You Claim Compensation if You Didn’t Tell Pizza Hut About Your Allergy?
Even if you did not tell the staff about your allergy, you might still be able to claim compensation. This is because the law says restaurants must help all customers make informed decisions about what they eat.
This means allergen information must be visible and accurate on menus, online listings, and packaging. If this information is missing or misleading, and you suffer an allergic reaction as a result, the restaurant could still be held liable.
What If You Informed Staff But Were Still Served the Wrong Food?
If you told Pizza Hut about your allergy and asked for a specific ingredient to be removed — for example, cheese, nuts, or eggs — the staff should take your request seriously.
If your request was ignored, or the staff failed to warn you that your meal was unsafe, that could be classed as negligence. In that case, you may have a strong basis for a claim, as the restaurant clearly breached its duty of care.
Common Food Allergies Related to Pizza
Pizza Hut offers a wide range of pizzas, pastas, and sides. However, several ingredients commonly used can trigger allergic reactions. Some of the most frequent include:
- Wheat and gluten in the pizza base.
- Dairy in the cheese or cream-based sauces.
- Eggs in the dough or desserts.
- Tomatoes or fruit-based sauces for those with specific fruit allergies.
- Seafood or shellfish toppings in certain pizzas.
- Soy or mustard in sauces and dressings.
- Nuts in desserts or as added toppings.
Even if you order a “free-from” meal, there’s still a risk of cross-contamination if care isn’t taken in the kitchen.
Proving a Claim for an Allergic Reaction
To make a successful claim, you need to show three things:
- Duty of care: Pizza Hut owed you a legal responsibility to provide safe food and accurate allergen information.
- Breach of duty: The restaurant failed to meet this responsibility — for example, by serving you food with undeclared allergens.
- Causation: You suffered harm (an allergic reaction) as a direct result of that breach.
Evidence can play an important role in supporting your claim. You may want to collect:
- Medical reports showing your diagnosis and treatment.
- Receipts or order confirmations to prove where and when you ate.
- Witness statements from anyone who saw what happened.
- Photos or copies of menus that lacked allergen information.
- Communication records with restaurant staff about your allergy.
This evidence can help establish fault and support your case.
How Compensation for an Allergic Reaction Is Calculated
If your claim succeeds, you can receive compensation under two main categories:
General Damages
This covers the physical and emotional suffering caused by the allergic reaction, including the pain, inconvenience, and impact on your quality of life.
Special Damages
These reimburse the financial losses caused by your reaction, such as:
- Medical treatment costs not covered by the NHS.
- Transport costs to medical appointments.
- Lost earnings while you were unwell.
- Care expenses if you needed help recovering.
- Future loss of income if the reaction caused long-term issues.
Typical Compensation Amounts
The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) provide estimates for personal injury compensation in the UK. The figures below give a general idea of what allergic reaction claims can be worth:
| Severity | Description | Compensation Range |
| Severe food-related illness | Hospitalisation, long-term or permanent impact on health | £38,000 – £52,000 |
| Serious illness | Intense symptoms lasting several weeks or months | £9,500 – £19,000 |
| Moderate reaction | Temporary but disruptive illness, recovery within weeks | £4,000 – £9,500 |
| Minor reaction | Mild symptoms that settle within days | Up to £4,000 |
The exact amount will depend on your situation — including the severity of your reaction, your recovery time, and the financial losses you’ve experienced.
What To Do If You Suffer an Allergic Reaction After Eating Out
If you believe your allergic reaction was caused by negligence, here are some steps to take:
- Seek medical help immediately. Even if symptoms seem mild, get checked by a professional.
- Report the incident to the restaurant and request a written record of your complaint.
- Keep receipts or packaging as evidence of what you ordered.
- Take photos of menus or allergen boards, especially if they lack clear information.
- Record your symptoms and treatment — keeping a timeline can be helpful later.
- Seek legal advice from a qualified personal injury solicitor if you plan to claim compensation.
Why Allergic Reaction Claims Matter
Making a claim is not just about money — it’s about accountability and safety. When restaurants fail to follow allergy laws, they put lives at risk. By taking legal action, you help raise awareness and encourage better food safety standards.
Many cases also lead to better staff training, clearer menu labelling, and stricter hygiene controls, helping to protect others from suffering the same experience.
How to Avoid Future Reactions When Eating Out
While restaurants have legal duties, you can also take proactive steps to protect yourself:
- Check menus in advance on the restaurant’s website.
- Inform staff clearly about your allergies every time you order.
- Ask questions if you’re unsure about ingredients or preparation methods.
- Avoid buffets or shared utensils where cross-contamination risks are higher.
- Carry your medication or EpiPen if you are prone to severe reactions.
Staying cautious helps you enjoy dining out with greater confidence.
Final Thoughts
Food allergies can be life-changing, and a reaction caused by someone else’s mistake can leave both physical and emotional scars. UK law recognises this and gives you the right to claim compensation when a restaurant fails to meet its duty of care.
If Pizza Hut or any other food outlet provided wrong information, ignored your request, or failed to warn you about allergens, and you suffered as a result, you may be entitled to a claim.
Understanding your rights is the first step. By taking informed action, you not only protect yourself but also help make dining safer for everyone.