Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Record is Archived

    This article is now archived and is closed to further replies.

    Jefferson Adams
    Jefferson Adams

    Chain Restaurants Expanding Gluten-free Menus

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    Celiac.com 05/16/2014 - More than half of U.S. chain restaurants plan to expand their gluten-free menus in the next year, according to a national menu price survey by restaurant supply-chain co-op SpenDifference.

    "Operators recognize that a growing number of customers have health-related dietary restrictions, and they are revamping their menus to include choices for them, as well as for those who simply want more healthful choices,” said SpenDifference president and CEO Maryanne Rose.

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
    Currently, 55 percent of restaurants surveyed serve gluten-free menu items. According to the new survey, the majority of those businesses will be expanding that selection in the coming year.

    The survey supports projections that indicate that the demand for gluten-free menu items “will be with us for a long time," said Rose.

    The findings are included in SpenDifference's third menu price survey, which for the first time asked chain-restaurant operators about their plans to offer more healthful menu options.

    Read more at: Open Original Shared Link



    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Guest Steve

    Posted

    Not much to this article, and the link for more doesn't go anywhere. I think that its getting dangerous that so many restaurants are offering gluten free items. Do they really know what it means? Are they taking steps to prevent cross-contamination? It's nice that Subway and other places like pizza places are offering gluten free, but I don't think they are very concerned with cross contamination at all. These two types of establishments pull toppings and condiments from bins that are cross contaminated with gluten. Example: A Subway worker handles their standard bread rolls and reaches into the toppings bins to make a standard sandwich. For gluten free orders, that worker washes their hands, puts on clean gloves, and reaches into the same bins to top your sandwich. At least they are doing it all in front of you. When a restaurant prepares food out of sight in a kitchen, you have no idea if they are taking any precautions at all. I hope that everyone understands that you will ALWAYS get some level of cross contamination when you eat at a restaurant, unless their menu is entirely gluten free.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Vicki

    Posted

    Not much to this article, and the link for more doesn't go anywhere. I think that its getting dangerous that so many restaurants are offering gluten free items. Do they really know what it means? Are they taking steps to prevent cross-contamination? It's nice that Subway and other places like pizza places are offering gluten free, but I don't think they are very concerned with cross contamination at all. These two types of establishments pull toppings and condiments from bins that are cross contaminated with gluten. Example: A Subway worker handles their standard bread rolls and reaches into the toppings bins to make a standard sandwich. For gluten free orders, that worker washes their hands, puts on clean gloves, and reaches into the same bins to top your sandwich. At least they are doing it all in front of you. When a restaurant prepares food out of sight in a kitchen, you have no idea if they are taking any precautions at all. I hope that everyone understands that you will ALWAYS get some level of cross contamination when you eat at a restaurant, unless their menu is entirely gluten free.

    I couldn't agree more with Steve's comments...on a recent trip to McDonald's , not my choice, but my 4 year old Granddaughter's, I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, and when it was brought to me, it had a breaded chicken on top, and when I informed the girl of the error, she went to the food counter and told them it was to be a grilled chicken not breaded, they proceeded to take it off and replace it with the grilled...totally contaminating the salad...total lack of concern when I explained to the girl that I would still not be able to eat it , and why-- I think a lot of it comes down to the owners and educating employees of what it means and how sick you can make a person. I normally bring my own food when I eat out, just to avoid any problems.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Teresa

    Posted

    I also agree with Steve and Vicki. If the employees do not understand about cross- contamination then I think that the restaurant should not be able to claim that they offer gluten free options.

    Don't get me wrong. I'd love to have someone else cooking for me but I usually regret it after the fact.

    Hopefully we can educate more people then our chances of eating out as a celiac will be less of a game of Russian roulette.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Judy

    Posted

    I couldn't agree more with Steve's comments...on a recent trip to McDonald's , not my choice, but my 4 year old Granddaughter's, I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, and when it was brought to me, it had a breaded chicken on top, and when I informed the girl of the error, she went to the food counter and told them it was to be a grilled chicken not breaded, they proceeded to take it off and replace it with the grilled...totally contaminating the salad...total lack of concern when I explained to the girl that I would still not be able to eat it , and why-- I think a lot of it comes down to the owners and educating employees of what it means and how sick you can make a person. I normally bring my own food when I eat out, just to avoid any problems.

    To my knowledge, the grilled chicken at McDonalds is NOT

    gluten free.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Mike

    Posted

    This is to Vicki above...if you read McDonald's ingredients, it doesn't matter if they used grilled or breaded chicken to ruin your salad, either way you would have gotten glutened as McDonald's "grilled chicken breast" has WHEAT as one of the ingredients (fillers).

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Donna

    Posted

    I personally do not trust restaurants as they have no idea about cross contamination. It is easier to take my own or eat before I leave home.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Steve

    Posted

    Not much to this article, and the link for more doesn't go anywhere. I think that its getting dangerous that so many restaurants are offering gluten free items. Do they really know what it means? Are they taking steps to prevent cross-contamination? It's nice that Subway and other places like pizza places are offering gluten free, but I don't think they are very concerned with cross contamination at all. These two types of establishments pull toppings and condiments from bins that are cross contaminated with gluten. Example: A Subway worker handles their standard bread rolls and reaches into the toppings bins to make a standard sandwich. For gluten free orders, that worker washes their hands, puts on clean gloves, and reaches into the same bins to top your sandwich. At least they are doing it all in front of you. When a restaurant prepares food out of sight in a kitchen, you have no idea if they are taking any precautions at all. I hope that everyone understands that you will ALWAYS get some level of cross contamination when you eat at a restaurant, unless their menu is entirely gluten free.

    OK, the link works now.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest babsesl

    Posted

    And watch out for Boston Market. I've been contaminated three times and won't go back. I thought I had finally found a good take-out option.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Graciela

    Posted

    I personally do not trust restaurants as they have no idea about cross contamination. It is easier to take my own or eat before I leave home.

    I agree with Donna. So much easier to eat at home. People just don't understand what happens when a celiac eats gluten. My mother, RIP, would get ill within minutes of having eaten the slightest bit of gluten. It was just horrible for her.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Scott

    Posted

    Not much to this article, and the link for more doesn't go anywhere. I think that its getting dangerous that so many restaurants are offering gluten free items. Do they really know what it means? Are they taking steps to prevent cross-contamination? It's nice that Subway and other places like pizza places are offering gluten free, but I don't think they are very concerned with cross contamination at all. These two types of establishments pull toppings and condiments from bins that are cross contaminated with gluten. Example: A Subway worker handles their standard bread rolls and reaches into the toppings bins to make a standard sandwich. For gluten free orders, that worker washes their hands, puts on clean gloves, and reaches into the same bins to top your sandwich. At least they are doing it all in front of you. When a restaurant prepares food out of sight in a kitchen, you have no idea if they are taking any precautions at all. I hope that everyone understands that you will ALWAYS get some level of cross contamination when you eat at a restaurant, unless their menu is entirely gluten free.

    I totally agree. I am very happy that more and more people are finally being diagnosed with celiac and realizing that they are gluten sensitive. The difference in food choices now and 12 years ago is unbelievable. The problem, however, is that as it becomes more "popular" people are trying to cash in on it and are looking at gluten allergies rather than celiac and not worrying about cross-contamination. Unfortunately, when eating out you can only be so careful and ask so many questions. The give and take is that there used to be less options but you could feel very comfortable about the options because they clearly knew what celiac was, but now there are more options but are much less trustworthy because people are just sticking "gluten free" on it if there are no gluten ingredients regardless of cross contamination.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites


    Guest
    This is now closed for further comments

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate
  • About Me

    Jefferson Adams

    Jefferson Adams is Celiac.com's senior writer and Digital Content Director. He earned his B.A. and M.F.A. at Arizona State University. His articles, essays, poems, stories and book reviews have appeared in numerous magazines, journals, and websites, including North American Project, Antioch Review, Caliban, Mississippi Review, Slate, and more. He is the author of more than 2,500 articles on celiac disease. His university coursework includes studies in science, scientific methodology, biology, anatomy, physiology, medicine, logic, and advanced research. He previously devised health and medical content for Colgate, Dove, Pfizer, Sharecare, Walgreens, and more. Jefferson has spoken about celiac disease to the media, including an appearance on the KQED radio show Forum, and is the editor of numerous books, including "Cereal Killers" by Scott Adams and Ron Hoggan, Ed.D.

    >VIEW ALL ARTICLES BY JEFFERSON ADAMS

     


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Related Articles

    Kristen Campbell
    Celiac.com 10/02/2008 - Anyone with confirmed gluten sensitivity knows what a web of conflicting research and medical opinions he or she must wade through in order to get diagnosed. Sadly, it is a rare thing for a patient to have to consult less than a handful of doctors, and consider many various ailments before hearing the life-altering statement: You have celiac disease.
    So then it should be of no surprise that once the diagnosis has been made, there is still much debate over what this means to an individual. A celiac disease diagnosis means the lifetime avoidance of anything that contains gluten contained in wheat, barley and rye and their derivatives—and even this simple statement is not always agreed upon by experts.
    The consensus is that people with celiac disease or gluten i...


    Jefferson Adams
    Celiac.com 09/18/2009 - Little did the parents of 17-year-old Brianna Rice realize that her February diagnosis for celiac disease would make her into a poster child for insurance reform. That's because when Brianna was first diagnosed, she was covered by health insurance. Thanks to some extra scrutiny by her insurance company, that is no longer the case.


    In the months following her diagnosis, Brianna's insurance company, American Community Mutual Insurance, took a microscope to her medical records and canceled her policy after it ruled that her parents had lied on her application last November.

 American Community not only canceled her policy, effective in May, but also denied coverage all the way back to November 1st, 2008, the day Brianna's coverage began.
    After Bria...


    Jefferson Adams
    Celiac.com 12/05/2014 - To remain healthy, people with serious gluten intolerance, especially people with celiac disease, must avoid foods containing gluten from wheat, barley, and rye. Accordingly, gluten detection is of high interest for the food safety of celiac patients.
    The FDA recently approved guidelines mandating that all products labeled as “gluten-free” contain less than 20ppm (20mg/kg) of gluten, but just how do products labeled as “gluten-free” actually measure up to this standard?
    Researchers H.J. Lee, Z. Anderson, and D. Ryu recently set outto assess the concentrations of gluten in foods labeled "gluten free" available in the United States. For their study, they collected seventy-eight samples of foods labeled “gluten-free,” and analyzed the samples using a gli...


  • Recent Activity

    1. - Scott Adams replied to Jack Common's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      How many grams is there in one slice of wheat bread?

    2. - Jack Common replied to Jack Common's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      How many grams is there in one slice of wheat bread?

    3. - Scott Adams replied to Barcino's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      2

      Antibodies went up

    4. - Scott Adams replied to Jack Common's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      How many grams is there in one slice of wheat bread?

    5. - Scott Adams replied to Kathleen JJ's topic in Traveling with Celiac Disease
      1

      Ski trip with Celiac son - preparation advice please


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      126,377
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Philippacr
    Newest Member
    Philippacr
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.9k
    • Total Posts
      69.4k

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Popular Now

    • disneyfamilyfive
      4
    • BoiseNic
      10
    • Jtestani
  • Popular Articles

    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
  • Upcoming Events

×
×
  • Create New...