Gluten-Free Fast Food

My son is 12 and his celiac was just confirmed with a scope. As his mom, nothing is more important to me than his health and I am researching like crazy to make sure he doesn't get hidden gluten. I am talking to restaurant managers also and I am getting them to change gloves and use a dedicated plate when fixing his food. I'm stunned by Jordan's comment. I hope her daughter survives her.

Jason's Deli is also very gluten-free friendly!! They have gluten-free bread and their deli meat is also gluten-free. When a gluten-free order comes through, they change gloves and use a dedicated plate especially if it goes through the toaster so it's never contaminated. I spoke to the manager and they are very careful. Love them!

Great comments, but seriously people! As anyone with a serious and real gluten allergy could probably attest, it doesn't matter what the menu says, the workers say, or the corporate says. Ask for a glove change, ask how they handle the food, and sit there and watch them make it. I watched as my dad had to eat gluten free 20 years ago when they looked at him like he was green when he asked them not to include a bun. He learned you just have to be okay being "that customer". All the places have a lot of people working, and a lot of turnover. When it comes right down to it, every restaurant, every day is different, you can't assume. So ask questions, be demanding, and look over their shoulder.

Okay, well some people have celiac disease really bad and they end up in the hospital with even cross-contamination so before you say anything you should take into consideration that people get this bad and you should be very thankful you're daughter is one of the lucky ones.

If you think that you can die from celiac disease then don't leave your life in another person's hands at a fast food restaurant! Instead of being picky and giving people a hard time, don't eat there! Take your issues out on the company, not the workers!

The chain, Taco Time, has a small gluten free menu. Most items are on their "Fit Hit" menu and say "gluten free." There is a chicken salad. Some sort of Tostada and my favorite, their White Bean Chicken Chili. They switched their formulas and ensure a gluten free status on these few items. Peeping into their kitchen, it is hard to imagine how they would cross contaminate their gluten-free offerings, but I suppose you could remind the server to use a dedicated spoon or whatever. So, I agree with those that state that it is not the most authentic Mexican food. However it is an easy and fairly tasty lunch or dinner out, for those of us too nervous to go very often, don't like playing "twenty questions' with the staff, and are sick to death of our own cooking.

I'm 15 and I work at McDonald's and also suffer. They do cross contaminate and honestly my best advice for everyone is to ask questions. A lot of people come through and ask about the gluten free items. Trust me...there are few...I can't eat from there, it makes me sick. They do no dedicate specific fryers and honestly a lot of people are very hurtful saying that I have an eating disorder or am on a crash diet since I can't eat gluten. I rarely go out to eat with my friends since it's so hard to be sure if something is actually gluten free Unless you make it yourself... honestly the only people who truly understand are the people who have suffered the same pain and discomfort and sickness... anyone who says otherwise on this page is talking out of their a#$...

You could have said this without being so confrontational. Plus, in talking to others with celiac and gluten intolerance, it seems that different people have different degrees of reaction. Glad for you that your daughter can tolerate some trace amounts.

My son has severe gluten sensitivity!! If he eats something that has gluten anywhere on or near it (similar to a peanut allergy) he has problems. So...YOU need to understand that your daughter is ONE person...there are millions more and each are different with different degrees of this disease. So...you eat at home!!!

I worked at Wendy's for over a year. The claim made by Merovign is very true. At the end of the night whatever burger is left is boiled put in the fridge, boiled up and cut and put into the chilli the next day.. Just be careful, I'm not sure if all Wendy's does this but the one in my home town does.

Yes the convenience of fast food or eating out is wonderful. However, the complications that can arise are different for each person with celiac. There is a very broad spectrum of this disease and if you know anything at all from research, you should know that contamination is the variable with not eating at home. Those who are not cautious when it comes to their children's lives, should be taught better on this horrible disease. That poor child will only get worse as time goes by and it's no ones fault but the parents! That's like Russian Roulette with a precious life. Either way celiac is nothing to joke about or take casually. It IS serious!!

Are you kidding you should be more concerned about your daughter...for the record some people with celiac do get sick from just a crumb...me being one of those and maybe you should do a little more research...it sucks getting sick and the pain is almost unbearable....and by the way if it goes untreated it can kill you its called colon cancer....so get a clue....

As a person who suffers from being gluten intolerant... just diagnosed in the last 3 months, I am new to this whole thing, but I work at Chipotle, and we do our best. We will change gloves without any difficulty. It is our policy to make sure that we do everything that we can. At my restaurant we will even change spoons, and get new pans of anything needed. It may take but longer to get through the line, but we will help.

I hope this helped.

I tried to eat a salad at subway, clean gloves and all and I had a very bad reaction. I believe that there is probably wheat all over the veggies and meat from all the sandwiches being made with the same containers of items. I don't think people with celiac disease should eat there unless they make changes to where wheat couldn't get on the veggies from all the sandwiches that are made.

I have been living with celiac disease for the past 2 years and have found it so hard to go completely gluten free, even with the severe pain I get from it. I am a single girl going through college and find it hard to find affordable ways to get around gluten intake but I also know that what I am doing is killing me. Please can someone help. Any information you have would be wonderful.

You know my husband actually worked at Wendys quite a few years ago and it is true, they put broken burgers in the chili, it was made wrong or it burned or it didnt sell at the end of the night, whatever the reason.

Wow, that's harsh. I do get sick from items that just "touch" my food. Let's not be so judgmental.

The dedicated fryer theory is the way they are supposed to be. I have worked at more than one fast food place with "dedicated" fryers and when they get backed up and too many customers, everyone of them would use the dedicated fryer to fry other things. I don't trust any of them. And wouldn't it be great if someone could make an all gluten free fast food joint? It wouldn't take much more than a great menu and a lot of money to start one.

my husband and possibly one of my sons has celiac . I get very burned out making a menu, reading every package in the grocery store, and then preparing their meals from scratch. We have tried fast food dining only to see them have symptom after. Although it is easier to go somewhere to eat , we still have to ask about ingredients and hope we are told the truth. I finally decided that when I am too whipped from a long day to even want to think about cooking, I can get my husband to make scrambled eggs and toast or something else sorta simple for dinner and it won't be long until my son can cook too. I'd rather get burned out from constant gluten searching than have to bury one of these guys . My husband was violently ill for three straight days and had to go to the ER for IVs. We couldn't figure out what was wrong since we are as gluten free as possible. Turns out his visit to the dentist was the culprit. There was wheat in the fluoride treatment! That crap is everywhere!!

Some of us are totally gluten intolerant meaning if someone touches a bun and then touches my food I get sick. Just because you may not need to be so careful doesn't mean you need to judge others.

Everyone has different degrees of sensitivity. Some need to use separate toasters at home as well as thoroughly cleaning counter tops. It's not being "picky" for some it's just being afraid of vomiting or pooping yourself afterwards.

I am a celiac and so is our daughter. Thankfully there are dollar stores that carry gluten free products (sometimes needles in a haystack) and they vary in the products I find. Just found some gluten free tortillas for $.50 a bag. Big Lots is another store I sometimes find products. Fred Meyer stores, Safeway, Albertsons, Marlene's Market, Grocery Outlet Bargin Market. I love Cappy's produce market everything is so fresh. Winco I have found Udi's breads. They taste the best. For those who are struggling with ideas search the web so many ideas on recipes. I have been living completely gluten free for 10 years. Our daughter is 9 years old. We had her tested when she was 4. The best thing we could have done for her to live a healthy life. I have found that Mexican resturants don't mind being celiac friendly. We haven't had any problems. Red Robin has gluten free hamburger buns and they are good. I am proactive for our healthy life for good reasons living healthy and happy.

I worked at a Burger King for 5 years and we cooked everything in the same vats of oil. we did not have separate oil for french fries.

People die from celiac disease. Look it up before you speak.

Some people are super celiac and can get really ill from a "crumb or two". Just because one person isn't like that doesn't mean they all are. It's a difficult topic already, let's not be nasty.