Chilis skillet queso

[Sky1771]

I know the chips are not gluten free but is the skillet queso gluten free?

[cyclinglady]

I think you need to ask the chef at Chili’s.  He would know the ingredients.  Do not depend on waitstaff (no offense, as I was once one), because they don’t really know what is safe or not.  The greatest concern is cross contamination.  I am not sure Chili’s is know for being safe for celiacs in my area.    It is not posted on Find Me Gluten Free as being safe.  It was a restaurant my hubby was sad to give up.  If going with friends order a drink and bring a snack.  Then you can still socialize.

Found this.  Looks like the skillet is not gluten free.  The restaurant is aware of allergen cross contamination, but Intend to go by celiac’s recommendations.  

https://brinker-chilis.cdn.prismic.io/brinker-chilis%2Fd06a68c9-0c37-4168-b939-6907050b9c70_chilis-allergen-vegetarian-generic.pdf

Edited May 11, 2019 by cyclinglady

[kareng]

Chili’s isn’t the kind of place that has a chef.  Most of the food is pre-made & the heat it or grill it and add the fresh stuff ( like lettuce).

[Ennis-TX]

The first thought is CC with the skillet, next is the fact some places thicken queso with all-purpose flour or flavor it with beer. The food industry does crazy stuff to make sauces go further, cheesy ones are the most common to be watered down and thickened. 

But again check with your store (talk to the manager, ask to be shown and walked through the cooking process and seasonings/sauces). my local chilis could only do 3 things safe for me all unseasoned, roasted fish, roasted asparagus, and steamed broccoli. They had a conveyor oven, they would put my food on disposable foil sheets then run it through the oven to roast. I was shown this in the back to reassure me. Unsure if every chili's does this. 
I have been in other restaurants that have done crazy stuff, IE steaming veggies over the pasta boil water, using pre-sauced and seasoned frozen veggies they just reheat (they have no clue of ingredients), using the same skillets or griddle uncleaned all day. 

I have worked in the industry in the past and looking at starting my own food truck so going and observing and learning has been a bit of a trip on other practices.