Dietary and Access Summary
Count dietary needs and allergies and list access needs from your guest list, as a sheet for the caterer and venue
Your project has no guests yet. Open a project file or try a sample below, or add guests (with their food and access notes) in the Guest List Tracker.
0
To feed
0
With food needs
0
Access needs
Guests to feed: 0 No food needs noted: 0 No food needs noted.
No access needs noted.
About Dietary and Access Summary
Turns the food and access notes in your guest list into a one-page summary: how many of each need for the caterer, who has allergies, and who needs step-free access or other help at the venue. Counts only by default, with names when you choose.
Pick which guests to include. Read the counts and the lists, then copy the text or download a PDF or CSV to send to the caterer and the venue. Fix a note in the Guest List Tracker and the summary updates.
Food and access needs are personal. Send the caterer counts without names unless they need to label meals, and send allergy names only to the people who serve the food.
- Where do the food and access notes come from?
- From the Diet and Access fields of the guests in your project, the same ones you fill in with the Guest List Tracker. Change a note there and the summary updates.
- How are the notes grouped?
- Common needs such as vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, gluten-free, dairy-free and nut, shellfish, egg, soy or sesame allergies are counted automatically. A person can count in more than one group. Anything it does not recognise is listed under Other notes so nothing is lost.
- Does it show names?
- Not unless you tick the box. By default the caterer sheet has counts only. With names on, each person's note appears, with allergies and intolerances first.
- What about plus-ones?
- They are counted in the number to feed, but their food needs are not known, so they are not counted in any group. Add them as their own guests if you know their needs.
- Is this medical or legal advice?
- No. It sorts the notes your guests gave you. For allergies, always confirm the details directly with the guest and the kitchen.
How to use Dietary and Access Summary
Choose which guests to include. The tiles show how many people to feed, how many have food needs and how many have access needs. Below them are the counts for each kind of need, the sheet for the caterer, and the access list for the venue. Tick the names box only if the caterer needs to label meals. Copy the text, or download a PDF or CSV.
When to use it
Use it a week or two before the event, once most replies are in, to give the caterer one clear sheet and tell the venue who needs step-free access, seating or other help.
When not to use it
It does not diagnose, check ingredients or guarantee a meal is safe. For severe allergies, confirm each case directly with the guest and the kitchen.
Tips for best results
Ask guests for their needs in plain words, one per note, such as vegetarian or no nuts. Send the caterer counts without names, and give allergy names only to the people serving.
Limitations
Grouping works from the words in the notes, in English. A note it does not recognise is listed under Other notes. Plus-ones are counted to feed but not by need.
Privacy
Food and access notes stay in your browser and are summarised there. Nothing is uploaded or kept, and the project is erased when you close the page unless you save the project file.
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