How OpenPlate Works

OpenPlate provides structured, community-driven decision support for people who require strict gluten avoidance.

The product flow is simple: Explore venues on the map, Ask safety questions using DinerAssist when you visit, and Share what you observed to help others.

OpenPlate does not provide medical advice and does not certify venues. It organises verified community reports into consistent structural categories to support informed dining decisions.

Optional subscriptions support development and additional tools. They do not influence venue scoring.

Structural tiers

Structural tiers reflect reported kitchen systems and operational controls — not food quality and not medical guarantees.

For mixed kitchens, OpenPlate evaluates reported practices across five operational domains:

• Cross-contact controls
• Staff knowledge and communication
• Menu accuracy
• Fryer separation
• Wheat flour used on-site (flour dust increases cross-contact risk)

Tiers are determined by structured report logic and may be capped by unresolved safety concerns.

Map marker guide

Dedicated Gluten-Free

Well Prepared

Some Safeguards

Higher Risk

Not Enough Data

Markers reflect reported kitchen structure — not medical guarantees.

Evidence and corroboration

• Only a user's most recent report per venue contributes to tier calculations.
• Higher structural tiers require corroborated reports from multiple independent diners.
• Red-flag reports may cap or downgrade tiers depending on severity and recency.
• Reports that flag menu mismatch (e.g. GF claims that don't match observed preparation) may affect tiers until resolved or the flag expires.
• Tier strength reflects structural consistency over time, not review volume.

Safety Concern Overlay

A safety concern overlay is triggered when two or more independent reports within 90 days indicate serious cross-contact risks (e.g. unclear controls, menu discrepancies, dismissive responses).

Safety concerns may temporarily cap or downgrade structural tiers until corroborating positive reports are received.

This system prioritises recent, independent evidence.

Confidence levels

• Limited data
• Growing data
• Established data
• High confidence

Confidence reflects data sufficiency — not safety. A venue may demonstrate strong reported systems but still have limited confidence if report volume is low.

Ask the right questions

Talking to restaurant staff is an important part of eating safely. DinerAssist helps guide that conversation by highlighting key kitchen safety questions, including:

• Dedicated fryer
• Prep area separation
• Sauces and ingredients
• Loose wheat flour in the kitchen

DinerAssist is a conversation guide to help diners confirm preparation practices before ordering.

A QR code in DinerAssist lets servers scan and take the questions back to the kitchen, so staff can check preparation details without the diner needing to memorise them.

Important

Dining with coeliac disease always involves individual risk considerations. OpenPlate supports structured decision-making — it does not replace direct communication with venues.

Users are encouraged to:

• Ask staff questions about preparation practices
• Use tools like DinerAssist to guide those conversations
• Confirm how gluten-free meals are handled in the kitchen
• Make decisions aligned with their individual medical advice

Contribute

Community reporting strengthens structural accuracy.

How to contribute

1. Check the map — Search for a venue or explore the map to see its current tier.
2. If it's not listed, import it from Google — Add the venue in seconds so others can find it too.
3. Dine out — Visit the venue and experience it for yourself.
4. Answer the safety questions — Tell us about cross-contact controls, staff knowledge, menu accuracy, fryer separation, and whether wheat flour was used on-site.
5. Submit your report — Your most recent report for each venue contributes to its current tier.

Sign in to get started. Every contribution improves clarity for the community.