Food Allergy Cards for China Travel: What to Prepare
Food-allergy communication should be prepared before you are standing in a busy restaurant. A bilingual card can help start the conversation, but it cannot confirm ingredients, prevent cross-contact, or replace an emergency plan.
Prepare two layers: the ingredient and the risk
The card should name the exact allergen and explain that the restriction is a serious allergy rather than a preference. Broad terms such as ‘nuts’ or ‘seafood’ may not cover the exact ingredients you need to avoid, and the meaning can become less precise after translation.
Use a reviewed translation for the specific allergen and show the English term beside it. If the allergy is severe, discuss the travel plan and medication with your clinician before departure.
What the card needs to communicate
A busy server should be able to identify the allergen and understand that the kitchen must check more than the visible ingredients. Cross-contact can happen through a shared fryer, wok, broth, sauce, cutting board, utensil, or preparation surface.
- The exact allergen in English and reviewed Simplified Chinese.
- A clear statement that exposure can cause a serious allergic reaction.
- A request to check sauces, broths, marinades, oils, and garnishes.
- A request to check shared fryers, utensils, woks, boards, and surfaces.
- A question asking the kitchen to say clearly if it cannot prepare the food safely.
Serious food allergy
For severe allergies, use wording reviewed for your specific allergen and medical needs. Do not rely on an unverified AI translation.
Use the card as the start of a conversation
Show the card before ordering and ask that the manager or chef review it. Choose a quieter service time when possible, and leave if the staff cannot confidently explain the ingredients or preparation process.
When the dish arrives, confirm it again. Make sure a travel companion knows the allergen, recognizes a reaction, can find your medication, and knows how to contact emergency help.
Build the emergency backup before the restaurant
Carry prescribed medication as directed, keep appropriate travel insurance, and identify medical support before the trip. In China, the ambulance number is 120. Store the number, your accommodation details, an emergency contact, and relevant medical information offline.
- Carry medication in the way your clinician has instructed.
- Keep your travel companion informed and able to access the emergency plan.
- Research nearby medical care when the allergy or destination makes that necessary.
- Do not eat the dish if communication is unclear or the kitchen cannot manage the risk.
How this guide is maintained
Written and maintained by Formscape Travel, a China-based travel-planning product from Formscape Lab. Product examples use the same local POI and trip data shown in the app.
Published 2026-07-01 · Updated 2026-07-14 · Last verified 2026-07-14
Sources and official links
FARE food-allergy chef cards
Established chef-card templates, including Simplified Chinese, with translation limitations.
FARE avoiding cross-contact
Practical questions about shared surfaces, equipment, oil, and preparation.
UK government China health guidance
Current emergency medical number, insurance, medication, and healthcare guidance.