Allergen and Nutrition Label Guide for Canada

On this page

• How nutrition labels work
• Allergens at restaurant chains
• What each brand publishes
• Dietary needs beyond allergens
• Checklist before you order
• Sources

How nutrition labels work in Canada

In Canada, the priority allergens include peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, wheat, eggs, milk, soy, fish, shellfish, mustard and sulphites. Some provinces, including Ontario, require chain restaurants to show calories on menus. Sodium is often listed alongside calories.

Calories and sodium are commonly listed, and some brands publish separate allergen guides. Nutrition figures normally describe a standard recipe and a standard portion, so the item you receive can differ slightly because of ingredients, portioning and customisation. Several brands say this themselves in their official guides.

Allergens at restaurant chains

Allergen information tells you which allergens a recipe contains. It does not guarantee that a kitchen is free of cross-contact. Many chains say clearly that food is prepared in shared kitchens and that they cannot guarantee any item is completely free of an allergen. If you have an allergy, treat the published information as a starting point and tell staff about your allergy when you order.

Recipes and suppliers also change, which is why every Menu Chains brand page shows a “Last verified” date and links to the brand’s own allergen source.

What each brand publishes

This table summarises what the official sources behind our verified brand pages provide.

Restaurant	What the official source publishes
Tim Hortons	An official nutrition guide with calories, fat, sodium, carbohydrates, sugars and protein, plus a separate allergen guide
Mary Brown’s	An official nutrition guide and a separate allergen guide, both dated July 2026

Checklist before you order

• Open the brand’s own allergen or nutrition page and check the date or version.
• Look up each item you plan to order, including sauces and sides.
• Tell staff about your allergy when you order, and ask how the item is prepared.
• Be careful with shared fryers, grills and utensils, which can cause cross-contact.
• If the brand’s information is unclear or missing, ask the restaurant or the brand directly.
• Remember that recipes can change, so recheck if it has been a while.

Our brand pages link directly to each official source. Start from the Canada hub to find them.

Dietary needs beyond allergens

Allergies are not the only reason people read menu information. Some people avoid certain ingredients for religious, ethical or health reasons, and some brands mark items as vegetarian or vegan. Where a brand publishes these flags, our pages show them, but read the brand’s wording carefully, because “suitable for vegetarians” does not always mean an item is prepared separately from meat. If you follow a gluten-free diet, ask specifically about shared cooking oil and surfaces. If you watch sodium or sugar, look at those columns in the nutrition tables rather than relying on calories alone.

Why published numbers can differ from your meal

Official nutrition figures are calculated from standard recipes and average portions. Your own meal can differ because staff portion by hand, suppliers change ingredients, seasonal or regional recipes vary, and customisations such as extra sauce or a different size change the totals. Treat the numbers as a reliable guide rather than an exact measurement, and use the brand’s own tools when you build a customised order.