Douglas MacMillan has been a restaurant owner in Pismo Beach for 38 years.
"We bring families together. That's what I was born into, and I love everything about it. I love the restaurant industry. I love being a chef," MacMillan said.
He owns three Pismo Beach restaurants: Rosa's Italian Restaurant, Ada's Fish House, and Vista Steak and Seafood.
For the time being, his restaurants will be unaffected by a new California law that will be the first in the nation requiring restaurants with 20 or more locations nationwide to outline allergens on their menu.
They will have to let customers know if ingredients like milk, eggs, shellfish and tree nuts are in their products.
"For people who have those allergies, it could be life-threatening, so it's important to us," said Darlene Beardsley, who is visiting the Central Coast from Los Angeles.
"We don't have allergies but I suppose it would be good for people who do," said Carol Adams, who is visiting from Lake Tahoe.
MacMillan shared their sentiment, saying that despite it not being required, he plans to implement the changes anyway.
"It's important people know what they're putting in their bodies. I'm all for it," he said.
For now, though, he says he takes a few steps to ensure the safety of his customers.
"Structure, discipline in the kitchen, and information, knowledge. Our first priority is to keep our guests safe, and they all know that my teams in the kitchen take a lot of pride in what they are putting on the plate," MacMillan said.
He also provides his staff with booklets that outline exactly what is in each dish and which dietary groups they fall into. That way, he says, they can answer customer questions clearly and confidently.
"For years we've had people come in with allergies, and we take care of them, and they continue to trust us, and support us," he added.
The new law will go into effect starting January 2026.
