Dining At Tgi Fridays

[Bee Free]

When dining at TGI FRIDAY'S the other night, I asked whether a particular dish was gluten free. The manager then came to our table to explain that she had just found out that NONE of their chicken is gluten free. It comes frozen to the restaurants with a marinade already on it. The marinade has gluten in it.

The manager said they do not tell anyone about the gluten - she just found out about it.

Just wanted everyone to know about this, since I have eaten there several times, and was assured that the chicken was gluten free.

Happy Gluten Free Dining!

Bee Free

[blueeyedmanda]

Thanks for the heads-up.

I have to say I never found TGIF's very celiac friendly anyway. I was never impressed before celiac and I was even less thrilled afterward.

[jerseyangel]

Yes, the chicken comes already seasoned, and it contains gluten.

The two times I've eaten there, I ordered a plain steak and the steamed brocolli. I think it depends on the staff at any given restaurant--the waitress and the manager both were very nice at my location and told me what would be safe for me. Unfortunately, there isn't much.

[Juliebove]

To me, chicken is always suspect. Too many times I've seen frozen chicken used and it often contains wheat, soy or even milk. I only get chicken at places that cook it from scratch. For me a hamburger patty is usually safer. Yes there are some frozen patties that have soy in them (an allergen for my daughter) but there seems less chance of that than something in the chicken.

[mamaw]

Also most of the sport's bar/restaurants get the same frozen coated chicken so that also adds.,Applebees,Texas Roadhouse & numerous others to the no- no list. I found this out this past spring that most places orfer their chicken products from the same source. To boot I was told most places do not tell customers that the chicken containes gluten in the marinate. At one place I stated we needed to know this so we don't get sick & they told me that it is a small amount! I then asked how much is a small amount & they couldn't tell me. After that they got a tad pissy about my questions.

It was an Applebees in Florida that the manager sat down with the box of chicken & we read the ingredients together. She was as shocked as I was & there was no way to determine how much gluten was in each piece of chicken so she just quit serving it to gluten-free people.

I appreciated her effort& understanding. She gave us our drinks for free & how bad she felt that we could not eat there....She also was the one that stated many restaurants still will not mention the gluten in the marinate...as most don't understand that even a small amount can be horrible .

At Texas Roadhouse ( where I now have $75.00 in gift cards) told me that I could order a chicken salad & ask that the chicken they bread for chicken critter salad be used ( of course before the breading takes place). They said it does not have a marinate on it , it is just plain chicken strips.

Another thing is the grill baste they use usually has gluten in it & they don't clean the grill for a gluten free food.

Smoky Bones has a gluten-free menu. We also eat at the Longhorn Steak House. This place is very careful. As soon as gluten free is mentioned a manager is at your table! He made me a steak wrapped in foil with no steak dust or any seasonings. It was very good but very plain with no seasonings..I told him he could use certain seasonings but he refused & just brought them to the table for me to use... Not as good as being cooked into the meat..... plus I had a baked Pot., salad & steamed veggies.

We love Carrabas now, they are very careful & very understanding. A larger menu is in the works for 08.......

Chili's also is very good about being gluten-free. The menu is limited but I never got sick from there.

mamaw

[Bee Free]

Thanks for the details.

I was just at Applebee's yesterday, and I explained the whole thing. They came back and assured me there was no marinade on it.

I am going to ask AGAIN when we go there next. I have not gotten sick when I eat there, but I want to be sure!!!

Bee Free

[happygirl]

Generally, Applebee's has two types of chicken. One with a marinade = not gluten free. They do carry some that have no seasonings/marinades.

[mamaw]

The chicken pieces they bread at each restaurant is supposed to be free of anything. But the whole chicken breasts are flashed frozen before delivery to these places & have been flash frozen with something that contains gluten.....

I think the mainstream thinking on this is when it states chicken breast it means plain chicken breast & it is but in the freezing process there is gluten , that in lies the problem....most do not understand that.

mamaw