No that isn’t an oxymoron – you can find Gluten Free Fast Food. As a Gluten Free person eating out is ALWAYS a risk. Cross contamination is everywhere and many people are poorly educated about what it means to be Gluten Free. But – there are places that you can eat at that are considered fast food that provide good Gluten Free options.
Yes, eating at home is healthier and safer but it isn’t always an option. Life happens outside the home so I have created a list of staples that I know I can eat Gluten Free at that do not cause me issues. I’m sure there are more good Gluten Free fast food joints (and would LOVE to hear what they are) but these are the restaurants within a 30 minute drive of my house.
Chick-fil-A
What I order: 8 piece GRILLED nugget meal, with fries, a drink and Polynesian sauce or the grilled chicken salad with Fruit cup. They have a Gluten Free bun so you can actually have a grilled chicken sandwich too! The bun comes in a sealed bag so it is safe.
The Gluten Free menu can be found here.
Pluses: Um GLUTEN FREE Fries!! Good dipping options. Super family friendly! GF bun.
Minuses: Honestly this isn’t that filling for me. I usually have to order large fries to feel full.
Chipotle
What I order: Chicken bowl and white rice, black beans, sour cream, lettuce, mild salsa, and cheese. We share a bag of chips and salsa. *Ask them to change their gloves before they prepare your meal.*
The Gluten Free menu can be found here.
Pluses: The chips are so good and it is a ton of food. Family friendly.
Minuses: The mild salsa can be a little too hot for me. Chips are high in calories.
Five Guys
What I order: Little cheeseburger with no bun, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayo. Fries!
They normally change gloves when they see *no bun on the ticket but it doesn’t hurt to remind them.
The menu can be found here.
Pluses: Gluten Free Fries! The regular size fry is enough for two people so you can share.
Minuses: Open containers of peanuts so if you have a nut allergy be aware! Eating a burger with a knife and fork isn’t a ton of fun.
Noodle and Company
What I order: RICE NOODLES pad tai or Tuscan Linguine toppings on rice noodles.
The Gluten Free menu can be found here.
Pluses: It is a tasty meal. Has lots of options.
Minuses: Not very filling. Cross contamination can be an issue but I’ve never had a problem.
Wendy’s
What I order: Side caesar salad with ranch dressing and baked potato with margarin and sour cream. Bacon cheeseburger with no bun is also a good option if you want more protein. I find that the fries at the newly remodeled stores are typically safe, so just ask if they have a dedicated fryer for their fries.
The Gluten Free menu can be found here.
Pluses: Very family friendly. Frosties are Gluten Free.
Minuses: Some restaurants fries are cooked in a shared fryer.
Pizza Hut
What I order: Gluten Free cheese, pepperoni or no sauce just cheese pizza
The Gluten Free menu can be found here.
Pluses: GIG trained, prepared in separate area, Udi’s crust
Minuses: Only SAFE topping options are cheese and pepperoni
Moes
What I order: Chicken rice bowl with black beans, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream.
The Gluten Free menu can be found here.
Pluses: Family friendly. The meats and most toppings are Gluten Free.
Minuses: Tortilla chips are not Gluten Free. I normally bring my own if I know we are going there.
When all else fails I use this app to help me decide what to eat.
Yay for gf at food! That all looks absolutely delish!!
Thanks! Any fast food options in Germany these days? It has been 12 years since I lived there.
I didn’t know you lived in Germany – I did too! I was a kid so it was more like 20 years ago for me, but still, cool coincidence 🙂
I had always thought Moe’s would be off limits because of how they scoop the food onto tortillas, I just assumed everything was cross contaminated – will have to check them out, thanks!
You can bring your own GF bun to places like Five Guys. 🙂
haha those are my favorites too 🙂
I have never had luck eating out
So sorry! Not fun
At five guys they’ll wrap your burger in lettuce (and foil) for you so you can eat it like a regular burger 🙂
Our Chick-fil-a told us they have a shared fryer when I asked about ordering fries, so those might vary by location. Always a good idea to ask before you order 😉
Great reminder!
In CA In-N-Out you can order any burger “protein style” and fries are gluten free. My absolute favorite for fast food.
Chick-fl-a in NC definitely does not have gluten free fries. I found that out the hard way. 🙁 But, Red Robin does! They have a designated gluten free fryer. Whoop! Whoop! And an allergy menu on a tablet.
Sorry you had bad experience at Chick-fil-a. We have had great success there. And we do love Red Robin.
I didn’t realize chick fil a fries were gf, and fried in separate fryer (I hate when restaurants say something is gf but fried in same fryer–it’s not gf then! :))
I’m surprised that you’re able to eat at chipotle though. I watch them make burritos on flour tortillas and they touch the tortilla with the serving spoon then dip it back in the container. For me that equals contamination and I’d be afraid to get sick. 🙁
I am gluten sensitive, not celiacs. My concern is preservatives! I have read that the sour cream at Wendy’s has “potasium sorbate” which is pure evil to my stomach (severe bloaating). I have also read that most preservatives are essentially/derived from a gluten? Would you know if this is true? And do special sauces also have preservatives? I also read that any preshredded cheeses have anti-caking agents that are just like preservatives and they are exxentially a gluten. Do you know of any similar references to this? I have also read that spices have anti-chaking agents just like shredded cheeses that are also made from glutens, . . . any ideas if this is true? I miss fast food!
Pre-shredded cheeses FORMERLY were mixed with white flour to prevent clumping, but now most are dusted with cornstarch. At least those in grocery stores are. Not sure about FF, though. FYI, found some frozen hash browns that are now GF at our local Kroger in Georgia.
Thank you for your reply Laurie. I too recently found out that cornstarch is safe to eat. But I sadly found sources that say spices can have ant-caking agents in the like my previously mentioned concern about pre-shredded cheeses. Do you know much on this? Also, for the yummy dressings and dips that have thickening agents that can also act like a gluten, is this the same as what is in ice cream that can also cause tummy bloat, as well as anything labeled “natural flavoring”? Thanks again, S ^-^
You need to ask at Chick-fil-a if they have a dedicated fryer. My son had waffle fries at one and was fine. He went to another and became very sick. He is a coach and eats out on days when they have to travel. Now he orders a fruit cup instead.
Polynesian sauce at chickfila is not gluten free! Just wanted to warn everyone. Neither is the Siracha, but all the others are.
The Polynesian sauce IS gluten free. It is free of all the top 8 allergens. Here are the ingredients: sugar, soybean oil, water, corn syrup, corn cider vinegar, distilled vinegar, tomato paste, salt, paprika, mustard seed, modified cornstarch, beet juice (color), onion*, garlic*, xanthan gum, propylene glycol alginate, natural flavor. *dehydrated.
Culvers will provide a gf burger with the bun. They are served with the bun still sealed in it’s bag so that you know it is gf. The meat has all the toppings on it and you must put it together yourself. Works well. They also have a dedicated frier for the French fries.
Thanks for sharing Susan! I have been to a Culvers that did not have a dedicated fryer for the fries, so it is always best to ask.
Thank you for that information. I am Celiac as well and over time, menus change and you forget exactly what is safe. I don’t want to burst your bubble about Chick fil A, I love this chain in every way, but I continued to have trouble each time I ordered my regular 5 count kids meal with fries and unsweetened tea. So I reluctantly looked up the ingredients for the grilled nuggets and the marinade has “natural flavors” in it. That is code for gluten 🙁 I sure wish there was a way to create a marinade without the “natural flavoring” issue. Maybe someone knows the answer.
Thank you
I’ve never had a problem with the chips at Moe’s. Is there a specific reason you have for them not being gluten free? At my local Moe’s they go straight from the box into a tortilla chip-only fryer. I’m a super sensitive celiac, and can eat them no problem.