Fast Food

[JenM]

It was very helpful (and fun!!) for me to make a safety book of restaurant menus. I printed the info from the internet, and put those pages into protective plastic sleeves and put all the info. together in a small binder. McDonald's has a lot of safe food, and is a user-friendly site, as is Outback. Since going gluten-free, my big addiction is protein-style burgers fron In-N-Out with a chocolate shake. Also, the field greens salad at California Pizza Kitchen (an all-time favorite) is said to be safe without the walnuts.

[Kailynsmom]

Where did you find the information?

[happygirl]

Many fast food places have information about gluten online. For example,

Pf Changs Open Original Shared Link

Outback Open Original Shared Link

McDonald's Open Original Shared Link

Wendy's Open Original Shared Link

Burger King Open Original Shared Link

Chick-Fil-A Open Original Shared Link

Subway Open Original Shared Link

etc.

I have done the same thing (printing out menus) and keep it at work since we often go out to lunch last minute. I do check the websites periodically to make sure I have the latest versions. However, sometimes I'm stuck w/a salad bc I can't risk getting sick, and my symptoms come on fast!

Although its been said before, its always good to note that companies may list their gluten-free ingredients, but there is a high risk of cross contamination whenever eating out. I know myself and many others have gotten sick from "gluten free" ingredients bc of cross contamination.

Hope this helps!!!

[happygirl]

By the way, I have a niece (19 months) that is named Emma. LOVE the name

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

McDonald's has a lot of safe food, and is a user-friendly site, as is Outback.

Hi Jen,

I did the same thing. But Laura already said it. It's not always save to eat at some of those restaurants, because of cross contamination. And the big difference between Outback and McDonald's is, that Outback's cooks know what they're doing and they work together with the GIG. McDonald's does not. Their people don't have a clue what gluten is whatsoever...

Hugs, Stef

[darlindeb25]

Some McDonalds dont know what they are doing just as some employees at PFChangs dont know. It's not fair to condemn all McDonalds just because you have had a bad experience. I have never had a problem at McDonalds and my sister has had trouble at PFChangs and Outback. My son has a celiac mother and aunt--he knows about gluten and he manages a McDonalds in Michigan.

Just as I have always heard that Trader Joes is a good place to go for gluten free foods. I found a Trader Joe's out here that is filthy. I wouldnt trust the gluten free foods to still be gluten-free after the way I saw them stock pile things.

So, please, dont condemn a chain because of one place. Deb

[Guest Viola]

Well said Deb. We have a Mac Donald's in the area that is very good about watching for cross contamination and keeping things gluten free. It all depends on the staff you're dealing with.

[happygirl]

I'm so jealous, Deb and Viola! I want a good McDonald's! The McDonald's that I used to go to in Auburn (ordering french fries) would continually make me sick-finally had to cut it out. I tried one on vacation in Nags Head this summer-got sick. Now I'm in VaBeach and I'm too scared to eat their fries----and I miss them terribly! Next time you eat a fry, think of me!

[FaithInScienceToo]

Just chiming in - I don't think Stef, or anyone, is 'condeming McDonalds' that I can see -

I think Stef was simply saying that McD's employees are not trained in this stuff -

Anyway....as already said.....

One must always check to make sure that each separate restaurant, no matter what the company, is following company protocols.

Make NO assumptions, is IMHO a good way to go -

Gina

[kevsmom]

I ate at Wendy's today. I ordered a Jr. Cheeseburger, no bun with lettuce, and a baked potato.

It is a good thing that I had a good look at the food preparation area from the counter. The food preparer was not wearing gloves. She was picking up rolls with her hands, putting them on the wrappers, using tongs to pick up the meat, and then using her hands to apply condiments. I actually called out to her and told her that I would need her to either wash her hands or put on gloves before preparing my order.

In the past (at another Wendy's), I actually caught the preparer putting the burger on the bun, and then realizing that the order was no bun. They removed the burger and put it on a plate. That time, I also called to them - saying that I would need a completly new burger... not that one.

The moral of this is that even if you thing that you are safe... you really need to protect yourself.

[Lisa]

I would be glad to have the list of gluten free-fast foods. But I am a totally moron regarding the computer. They are all opened by WORD. Is there any way to to access the

Is there a way to access the list by other means. Without my girls here to help me I cant open the WORD file, it say "no file can be found" and therefore I don't know where to go from there.

Help. (Just remember there are no dumb questions here )

I would love to copy the fast food list and Outback list and others.

Sorry computer dumb. Any help would be grateful.

Lisa B.

[darlindeb25]

Yes Gina--there has been a lot of condemning of McDonalds lately in the forum. One place is no better then another--it all depends on who is putting your order together and how well they listen. It's like Kevsmom said--sometimes at the last minute the person realizes you asked for no bun--they dont realize why you asked for no bun, so they just remove it and you get glutened--it's not because it's a bad place to eat. I have never been glutened by fries--never been glutened by a baked potato at Wendys and I used to drink their frosty's before they added gluten to them. I never order burgers, so I wont get glutened that way. If it was me, I would ask for one person to do my order with very clear explanations as to how to do it--I know that most of these fast food places are eager to please and if you take the time with them, they will take the time with you. In Michigan it is that way anyways--I know here on Long Island, I find the service leaves a lot to be desired. My man here tells me that New Yorkers dont realize how bad they are being treated because it has always been this way. I never would have treated a customer in ways I have been treated--NEVER! Deb

[happygirl]

LisaB-

Did you try clicking on the links that I posted above for the fast foods/restaurants? They should take you either directly to the page or to a page that links you to it. Some are PDF (Adobe Acrobat) files and some are just on the webpages. Once you are at the desired page, you can go to the top of your internet screen, click on "Favorites," click on "Add to Favorites" and you can save the webpage. Next time you need it, you can just pull up the internet, go to Favorites, and click on the link from there.

Hope this helps-Let me know if you want anything sent to you.

Laura

[debbiewil]

FYI - one thing to watch with any restaurant is the time you are ordering. If it's the middle of the lunch rush, there is far more likely to be a problem than if it's between times and you're the only customer. The staff is preparing several meals at once, and therefore a much higher likelyhood of cross-contamination. Also, last thing at night when things have already been cleaned up and put away, they're more likely to give you what's left, which might be contaminated, rather than fixing new when they have to take everything out again. So it's generally a lot easier to get a good gluten-free meal at McDonald's at 2:00 in the afternoon, than at noon. And that holds true for any restaurant, not just the fast food ones. I try to eat at odd times when I must eat out, and only had a problem once, when I let a friend talk me into going at rush hour.

Debbie

[FaithInScienceToo]

Yes Gina--there has been a lot of condemning of McDonalds lately in the forum. One place is no better then another--it all depends on who is putting your order together and how well they listen. It's like Kevsmom said--sometimes at the last minute the person realizes you asked for no bun--they dont realize why you asked for no bun, so they just remove it and you get glutened--it's not because it's a bad place to eat. I have never been glutened by fries--never been glutened by a baked potato at Wendys and I used to drink their frosty's before they added gluten to them. I never order burgers, so I wont get glutened that way. If it was me, I would ask for one person to do my order with very clear explanations as to how to do it--I know that most of these fast food places are eager to please and if you take the time with them, they will take the time with you. In Michigan it is that way anyways--I know here on Long Island, I find the service leaves a lot to be desired. My man here tells me that New Yorkers dont realize how bad they are being treated because it has always been this way. I never would have treated a customer in ways I have been treated--NEVER! Deb

Yep, :-) sometimes reading our forum threads can make it sound scary to eat anywhere....

It's REALLY nice to see lots of good hints/info being added onto this thread to add to our safety, though!

The companies could benefit from some of this info, too...I am thinking of doing a Celiac Disease awareness volunteer thing with restaurants and chefs in my area -perhaps I will begin to condense some of our hints, too....to share with these larger companies, so that they realize 'the human factor' involved with their employees...they can make all kinds of 'protocols,' but if the employeews don't know 'why'it's essential to follow them, they can inadverdently negate the safety measures...

Gina

[jenvan]

its a good idea, i also did that w/ rest. lists and the delphi list. i also have clan thompson smart list and it had restaurant info on it now too.

here's some more to add to the lists:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

[gluten momma]

After a few times eating Mcdonalds french fries I noticed some stomach issues and looked up the ingredients today. The page I looked at said that the beef flavoring said that the fries contain beef which is made with hydrolyzed wheat. Are you aware of any sites that are reliable to figure this mystery out?

[psawyer]

This topic is five years old--information may be out of date.

The McDonalds fries have a "beef flavor" which does not, in fact, contain any beef. The flavor does contain wheat and milk derived ingredients. This is true in the United States, but not in other countries.

The flavor is added to the oil in which the fries are partially fried at the point of manufacture before being frozen for distribution. Once at the store, the frying process is completed in vegetable oil which has no added flavor.

The flavor additive is a small part of the oil. A small part of the oil is absorbed by the fries at the factory. The finished product has been independently tested at the University of Nebraska, using the most sensitive R5 ELISA test possible, and found to contain no detectable gluten.

Make your own decision, but if you are worried about undetectable gluten in the fries, why are you even thinking about eating at a fast food restaurant where cross-contamination is such a high risk?

[Frances03]

I know you're very fond of posting the McDonalds french fries story of independent testing by whoever. But, seriously, that was ONE test, and it's not an ongoing test, or a test of all the McDonalds french fries in every McDonalds restaurant. The fact that McDonalds admits that there IS wheat in their french fries should be telling people right there that they aren't safe for people with Celiac Disease, but so many people are addicted to the things that they are unable to convince their own brains that they aren't safe. So they claim things like "I eat them all the time and never have a problem" and "these fries have been independently tested and found to contain no measurable gluten". I think the entire thing is so funny that every time I see the topic on this board I laugh. It's so amazing what the human brain is capable of, from convincing people that they just got glutened from a food that HAS no gluten, to convincing people that they AREN'T being glutened by a food that does. I'm thankful that after 8 months on this diet, I dont play those games with myself. I eat what I want and what I know to be safe, and I will get my blood levels tested every 6 months to make sure they stay low. I dont want to spend every day of my life freaking out over every single thing I put in my mouth and over every rumble in my tummy. And I'm sure not giving McDonalds the power to feed me wheat in a french fry while I convince myself it's wheatless! I'll just keep sending them an email now and then, asking them to please make french fries with NO wheat at all and if they ever do, then maybe I'll eat them.

[ancoon]

McDonalds has almost no gluten free options. I used to get a grilled chicken salad and french fries, but would get sick... it turns out that both the french fries and grilled chicken breasts contain gluten, as per their website. This just teaches me again that I have to research everything and trust no one at a restaurant without it in writing.

[psawyer]

Make your own decision, but if you are worried about undetectable gluten in the fries, why are you even thinking about eating at a fast food restaurant where cross-contamination is such a high risk?

I know you're very fond of posting the McDonalds french fries story of independent testing by whoever. But, seriously, that was ONE test, and it's not an ongoing test, or a test of all the McDonalds french fries in every McDonalds restaurant...

I think you missed my key point, which I have quoted above. If the fear of an undetectable level of gluten in the fries from the distantly removed flavor is a concern, what in heck are you doing in a fast food restaurant in the first place. I have said this every time I have posted about the flavor and the test. The risk from cross-contamination dwarfs the risk from the beef flavor.

If you are concerned about levels of gluten below 5 ppm do NOT eat at any fast food establishment.

[Frances03]

Thanks Peter, I needed that reminder because I am now pregnant, and I had gone to Wendy's recently for chili. I also went to DQ for a lime freeze (the lime slush mixed with soft serve). I dont want to increase my risk of ANY gluten while pregnant since I've had 3 miscarriages in a row prior to my diagnosis. So, I will have to give up the restaurants. I do wonder if I could trust the fries at Chick-Fil-A. We are not near one but will be soon. I crave them right now!

[bridgetm]

It's not exactly fast food, but I've had good luck with Perkin's. Of course, some of the waitstaff are less inclined to listen and help you out than others, but once I start explaining my situation they'll usually work with me. I always order eggs and either bacon or ham. If you don't have a problem with soybean oil, the hash browns should be safe too. It's convenient because they serve breakfast all day long. Perkins is a favorite spot among my friends and with so many locations (I'm near north St Paul, MN, and there are 3 or more within 15 miles) it's easy to talk people into going there instead of an unsafe restaurant.