Essential Ingredients Podcast 078: Menu Transparency Unlocked: Find Safe Restaurant Choices Fast with Dylan McDonnell
"It is the most loyal customer segment that exists because people find it so hard to find places that they trust, that when they do and they have a good experience, they keep going back again and again. It's a huge revenue opportunity for restaurants to take advantage of transparency." —Dylan McDonnell
Nothing about dining out should feel like a gamble. In this episode, we talk with Dylan McDonnell, founder of Foodini, about how accurate ingredient data and personalized menus restore trust and enjoyment at restaurants for people with celiac disease, allergies, and special diets.
Dylan shares the personal story that launched the company and how Foodini tags menu items across restaurants, hotels, and stadiums so menus can show what is safe, what needs a modifier, and what to avoid. He explains the tech and operational challenges behind keeping menu data current and why transparency is also a major revenue opportunity for restaurants.
Press play to hear why menu transparency matters now and how restaurants can make dining safer and more inclusive.
Key topics covered
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Foodini's origin story and Dylan's celiac experience
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How dietary intelligence and personalized menus work
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Menu data, ingredient tagging, and QR-based experiences
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Challenges of keeping ingredient and supplier data accurate
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Why transparency builds trust and loyalty and opens revenue for restaurants
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The role of regulation and industry adoption
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How consumers and restaurants can get started with Foodini
Meet Dylan:
Dylan McDonnell is the founder and CEO of Foodini, a dietary intelligence platform that helps restaurants and food service providers deliver accurate, personalized menu information for more than 150 allergens and dietary needs. Inspired by his own lifelong experience with celiac disease, Dylan left a career in corporate law to build a scalable solution that brings transparency, safety, and inclusivity to dining. Under his leadership, Foodini has supported hundreds of thousands of users across the U.S., Canada, and Australia, partnering with restaurants, hotels, and stadiums to modernize menu data and improve the guest experience. He is recognized as a leading voice in advancing food-allergen transparency and helping the industry adapt to emerging regulatory standards.
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Episode Highlights:
01:15 What is Foodini? Personalyzed Allergy-Safe Menu Explained
06:23 Market Research, Customer Interviews, and MVP
10:04 Loyalty, Revenue Opportunity, and Decision Influence
13:03 Data Problem in Food Service and Building a Tech Team
17:48 Self-Funded Offshore Build and Early Team Steps
22:34 Eating Freely Again
24:22 Explaining User Workflow