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Safety, trust, and troubleshooting

How AlignEat keeps you safe, how it works, and how to fix common issues.
Karim C
By Karim C
• 7 articles

Important: always confirm with restaurant staff

AlignEat helps you make informed choices about what to order. It is not a medical device, and it cannot guarantee that any dish is safe for you. Why you must still ask staff Menus are often incomplete. Ingredients and recipes change without notice. Kitchens can have cross contact between foods, meaning a dish that looks safe on paper may come into contact with an allergen during preparation. AlignEat can only analyse the information printed on the menu. It cannot see inside the kitchen or know what changed since the menu was last updated. Before you order and before you eat, always speak directly with a member of staff. Tell them your specific allergies or restrictions and confirm that the dish you have chosen is safe for you. If you have a severe or life-threatening allergy - Carry any medication your doctor has prescribed and keep it accessible. - Follow your doctor's advice at all times. - Do not rely on the app in place of a conversation with staff. - AlignEat does not provide medical advice. For medical guidance, speak with your doctor or a qualified health professional. In an emergency If you have a serious reaction, contact your local emergency services immediately. Good to know - AlignEat labels dishes as compatible, adaptable, could not confirm, or avoid, but these labels are based on menu text only. Staff have information the menu does not. - Restaurants are generally happy to help when you explain your needs clearly. Asking is always the right move. - Use the app to narrow your choices quickly, then confirm your final choice with the team at the restaurant. Related: How AlignEat decides if a dish is safe, in plain language, My scan failed or the results look wrong

Last updated on Jun 11, 2026

How AlignEat decides if a dish is safe, in plain language

This article explains how AlignEat reads a menu and arrives at the labels you see on each dish. The four steps 1. Read the menu text. The app extracts the text from the photo you take, including dish names, descriptions, and listed ingredients. 2. Identify the dishes. It breaks the menu into individual dishes and their components. 3. Match against your profile. Each dish is compared to the dietary restrictions and severity levels you set in your profile. 4. Apply a label. Based on that match, the dish receives one of four labels. What the labels mean - Compatible. Nothing in the menu text conflicts with your profile. - Adaptable. The dish may work if you ask for a modification, such as removing a topping. - Could not confirm. The menu text did not have enough detail to make a call. Treat this with the same caution as an avoid label and ask staff. - Avoid. The menu text contains something that conflicts with your restrictions. The limits of menu text The app can only use what is written on the menu. Menus are sometimes brief or out of date. When information is limited, AlignEat errs on the side of caution and asks you to check with staff rather than guessing. Good to know - Your severity levels matter. The app takes into account how seriously you have flagged each restriction, so the results are personalised to you. - A compatible label is not a guarantee. Recipes change and kitchens can have cross contact. Always confirm with restaurant staff before ordering and eating. - You can update your profile any time to keep your results accurate. Related: Important: always confirm with restaurant staff, My scan failed or the results look wrong

Last updated on Jun 11, 2026

My scan failed or the results look wrong

If a scan did not work or the results do not look right, this article will help you figure out what happened and what to try next. Getting a better scan The quality of the photo has a big effect on the result. Before you scan again: - Make sure the menu text is well lit. Natural light or a well-lit room helps a lot. - Hold the phone steady and fill the frame with the menu section you want to scan. - Avoid glare from glossy menus. Try a slight angle. - Make sure you have an internet connection. New scans require one. Error messages you might see - Low confidence scan. The app could not read the text clearly enough. Retake the photo with better light and focus. - Network error or timeout. Your connection dropped during the scan. Check your signal and try again. - Rate limited. You have done too many scans in a short time. Wait a moment and try again. If the results look wrong Do not rely on a result that looks incorrect. Check with restaurant staff directly before ordering. You can send feedback on any scan from inside the app. This helps the team improve accuracy over time. Good to know - Even a successful scan is only as accurate as the menu text. Incomplete menus mean some dishes may be labelled could not confirm rather than a clear result. - Always confirm with restaurant staff before ordering and eating, especially if a result looks unexpected. - If a problem keeps happening, contact support. Related: Important: always confirm with restaurant staff, How AlignEat decides if a dish is safe, in plain language

Last updated on Jun 11, 2026