107. Decoding the Menu: How Foodini is Changing the Way We Eat Out

What if the menu in front of you automatically adapted to what you can eat? No guessing, no awkward back-and-forth with the server, no anxiety about whether the kitchen really understands your allergy or dietary restriction. Just clarity and confidence.

That’s the vision behind Foodini, and today I’m joined by its founder, Dylan McDonnell, to talk about the future of personalized dining.

Dylan was diagnosed with celiac disease as a kid, and after years of getting sick from restaurant meals that were supposed to be “gluten-free,” he knew there had to be a better way. That journey led him from the world of corporate law to building a platform that breaks restaurant menus down to the ingredient level using a combination of AI and registered dietitians.

We talk about:

• Why menu transparency is still so difficult for restaurants
• How Foodini maps recipes to ingredients to give diners accurate allergy and dietary information
• The emotional side of eating out when you don’t fully trust the menu
• The “veto vote” and how one diner’s allergy influences where an entire group eats
• New legislation that may soon require restaurants to label allergens nationwide
• Why personalization is becoming a defining force in the future of food and hospitality

This episode is for anyone who cares about food safety, restaurant culture, and how AI is changing the way we eat. It’s a thoughtful, practical look at what it means to create dining experiences that include everyone at the table.

Tap play and then share this with someone who has ever had to bring their own snacks, scan a menu nervously, or trust a waiter’s “I think so.”
Let’s help more people enjoy eating out again.

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