u/Jiaming-

Sorry for the rant, but travelers with food allergies need to take more accountability for their own safety instead of blaming restaurants for not catering perfectly to their needs.

I'll admit China isn't known for being accommodating when it comes to food allergies or dietary preferences. Still, some people with allergies constantly blame restaurants for dishes containing trace amounts of an allergen or an ingredient they'd rather avoid (lard in stir-fried vegetables, for example).

I get that for some people, exposure to certain allergens can cause serious medical issues. But if the consequences are that severe, why risk eating out at all? Why hand your health and safety over to a random chef at a random restaurant if your condition is that serious?

I understand precautions help, like carrying allergy cards to show the kitchen. But even then, restaurants can still get it wrong due to cross-contamination, prep processes that never even register as risky to Chinese cooks, or just some miscommunication between restaurant staff. You can't assume everything will go smoothly just because you took precautions. If your condition is severe, you need to lower your expectations and prepare for the worst, not expect strangers to guarantee your safety.