Gluten Free Guide to Fast Food Chains
While the primary focus of this website is locally owned restaurants that make gluten free dining easier (and incredibly delicious!), I recognize we all travel from time to time where fast food and chain restaurants may be all we have access to. So here’s some tips on where to eat (and where not to eat).
Note, I have not yet had gluten free meals at all of these restaurants and as with any place mentioned on this website, if the restaurant is not dedicated gluten free, it may not be safe for those of you with celiac or extra gluten sensitivity.
Burgerville
Ok, I couldn’t not start out this post without mentioning the best local fast food joint for gluten free dining in the Oregon area - Burgerville. Their fries are gluten free and they have wonderful rotating seasonal flavors like rosemary. The offer a gluten free bun for their burgers and usually at least one seasonal burger offering there in addition to their classics. Burgerville likes to incorporate some local flavor in their food, so you’ll find them using local Tillamook cheese on burgers, local marionberries or coffee in shakes, and more. If travelling through Oregon and needing a quick fast food stop that’s gluten free, Burgerville is definitely the top choice!
In-n-Out
While they do not have gluten free buns, you can order any burger lettuce wrapped, or just in a box. Their off menu “Flying Dutchman” for example is just burger patties and cheese. And only their fresh potatoes, completely free of gluten, land in their fryer. This is also a chain I love to support as they pay their employees well and their prices are still very reasonable for the quality.
Five Guys
They do not have gluten free buns, but you can load up a burger in a bowl with all the fixings you desire. And just like In-N-Out, their friers are for their gluten free fries only. And I must say, while I think In-N-Out has an oddly addictive simple burger, Five Guys is the clear winner for fries! But, if you love going crazy with burger toppings, Five Guys is going to be the winner here as well!
Red Robin
I have heard from multiple sources that not only do they have a gluten free bun, but also a dedicated frier for fries and most locations will take extra precautions to limit cross contamination if you inform them. Red Robin is also a step up from regular fast food, so a good pitstop for when you’re not in a rush and can unwind a bit.
Chipotle
It’s easy enough to order a simple burrito bowl with the meat and fixings of your choice. Chips are also gluten free here, though unfortunately, they have changed in recent years and now taste like they came out of a bag instead of that light, magical crispiness dusted in what I swear had to have been crack, but Chipotle swears it’s just salt and lime juice! Chipotle is generally safe, but cross-contamination is a risk and mostly depends on how sloppy the staff are. I’ve been there before where you can clearly see ingredients are mixed into other bins due to staff just flinging around spoons full of ingredients. If the bins looks suspect on your visit, or you’re extra sensitive to cross contamination, you can ask if they can get your toppings from fresh containers in the back.
McDonald’s
Unfortunately, this one is super limited for gluten free options, but I wanted to mention it as sometimes on road trips it can be one of maybe two or three total options for many miles. Fries at McDonalds in the U.S. are sadly not gluten free. They have wheat ingredients and their fryer is shared with things like nuggets and chicken for chicken sandwiches. Your safest bet here is a bunless burger. And that still comes with risk of cross contamination in the U.S.
If you are travelling internationally, however, there are quite a few countries that actually have safe McDonald’s for gluten free dining. Portugal is one example. McDonald’s there follows processes approved by the Portuguese Celiac Association. So despite my general avoidance of chains and fast food especially, I had to make a stop during my recent visit - also because it was at arguably the most beautiful McDonalds in the world, their Imperial location in Porto. Adorned with stained glass mirrors and chandeliers, this is worth at least walking into. They have a dedicated fryer for gluten free fries and you can order a burger with a gluten free bun, which I’m told also means the patty is steamed, rather than cooked on the grill with everything else. This results in a bit of loss of flavor (and insane grease) but it’s a pretty safe gluten free meal.
Subway
This one also is a bit of a struggle in the U.S., but often it is the only option, alongside McDonald’s, on long stretches of deserted highways. Stick to pure ingredients here (no crispy onions, seasoned meats, meatballs, or complex sauces) and get the “sandwich” in a bowl or as a salad on a bed of spinach. It’s reasonable to expect some cross-contamination here unless you encounter an employee who cares and is knowledgeable about celiac. Note, their sausage patties for breakfast are not gluten free. I got glutened here early in my journey and it took a couple years before I realized Subway was the culprit.
Carl’s Jr / Hardee’s
This burger chain used to be everywhere but seems to be disappearing quickly in recent years. They were always one of my favorite fast food burgers growing up, and I have indulged in their bunless, lettuce-wrapped burgers a few times since going gluten free. I have not personally had any reaction from eating a simple famous star lettuce-wrapped but your mileage may vary. Their fries are not safe - they are fried alongside breaded onion rings and wheat containing waffle fries.
Wendy’s
The most important thing here is the legendary Frosty is gluten free!!! I’m not one for milkshakes at any fast food joint, but a Wendy’s frosty is completely different - IYKYK. Unfortunately, their fries are not free of cross-contamination due to shared fryers, so I do not advise getting fries to dunk in your frosty if you are celiac and/or have severe reactions. Like other spots, you can order a lettuce wrapped burger as the safest gluten free option. I have read they are testing out a gluten free bun in some locations, so worth a visit if you find it’s available where you are. The nice thing about Wendy’s is they’ve always had some additional yummy options not typical for fast food. So while you shouldn’t get fries here if extra gluten sensitive, you can get a baked potato, taco salad, or chili (hold the crackers).
Taco Bell
This is probably my least favorite fast food chain of all time, but I have managed to eat here without feeling glutened. A bowl is going to be your best bet here. Stick to the meats like steak, chicken and not their ground “beef” which contains a whole host of ingredients that may be contaminated if you are extra sensitive. I’ve been ok eating a bowl here and a single crunchy ground “beef” taco without a reaction, other than what is typical for anyone after consuming Taco Bell 😄
Del Taco
This was always my pick for fast food, chain “Mexican” food. Ingredients were always fresher with few or no weird additives, and menu options more like real food. Unfortunately that has changed quite a bit in recent years and now they use some bastardization of ground “beef” like Taco Bell does. The chicken and other meats may also be wheat contaminated now. And though they also serve things like burgers and fries, they do not use a dedicated fryer. Del Taco is definitely a eat at your own risk choice now. I highly recommend using their online nutrition guide to find some safe items, noting also that anything marked gluten free that’s fried is not totally safe here.
Denny’s, IHOP or other diners
Always be careful with omelettes at diners - many add pancake batter to their egg mix. Always ask before ordering. If they do add pancake batter, you can request an omelette made from fresh cracked eggs only. Denny’s specifically though has been making strides to better serve customers with gluten issues and it looks like their omelettes are gluten free, and they now have a special menu to help you order safely. Bacon is generally safe at diners, but sausage often is not. The safest gluten free orders at most diners is just a basic steak and eggs or bunless burger.
Shake Shack
They have a solid gluten free bun that holds together pretty well and I do love the flavors in the smoke shack burger. Unfortunately they do not have a dedicated frier, so the fries are subject to cross-contamination even though the raw they are gluten free. I haven’t personally had a reaction, but that doesn’t mean you won’t.
Some reminders:
All chains over a certain number of locations have to publish their nutrition guidelines. Definitely check these online in advance of ordering. Do note though that these guides typically only account for the ingredients in the raw products. For instance french fries may be marked as not containing gluten on the nutrition guide, but if they’re fried in the same fryer as wheat battered products, then cross-contamination is to be expected.
The above definitely goes for sauces as well. You can assemble the perfect gluten free burrito bowl and then accidentally top it with a gluten containing sauce. Sauces are noted in the nutrition guides, so again, use this to protect yourself.
Not all locations of the same chain have the same protocols for cooking and preparing when customers mention allergens. Always inform the person taking your order of your gluten issue.
When in doubt, don’t order the fries or gluten free bun. A bunless burger is almost always safe. Also, unwrap and eat your meal there so you can send it back if something isn’t right.
I hope this guide is helpful, and I definitely plan to expand on this list as I learn more! Please comment below if you’ve had a good (or bad) experience with gluten free eating at a chain restaurant.
