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Gluten Free Menu Options At Mcdonalds And Wendys

GFCahleen

By GFCahleen
in Gluten-Free Restaurants

Recommended Posts

GFCahleen Newbie
GFCahleen
Posted

I've only known that I have celiac disease for one month, so eating gluten-free is still pretty new to me. I was looking at McDonalds and Wendys websites to see which menu items are gluten free. Both websites had detailed ingredient lists stating which menu items are gluten-free. Here are the website links.

McDonald's gluten-free menu options:

Open Original Shared Link

Wendy's gluten-free menu options:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

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Silly Yak Pete Rookie
Silly Yak Pete
Posted

Coming from a Big MCDs fan prior to Diagnosis I say McDonalds sucks for not proving any real options for Celiac Sufferers. But I do love Wendys and get them at least once a week.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

IMO, the only safe thing at McDonalds is the packaged apples.

captaincrab55 Collaborator
captaincrab55
Posted

I couldn't trust McDonalds before I got diagnosed with celiac disease.. How can I trust them now?...

Kimmy913 Rookie
Kimmy913
Posted

Hello,

I am newly diagnosed with Celiac. I was diagnosed in the beginning of the summer and I was craving the big mac (probably because I couldn't have it), well anyway I ordered it with out the bun in several different places and it was really good. Alot of the Mcdonalds employees don't understand the no bun thing and it can get frustrating but they do try to accommodate me. Well I had gone to the McDonalds in Cinnaminson NJ and ordered the big mac with no bun and they had never done it before either. Well they asked and questioned a little bit but did not give me a problem and they made it in a saled bowl. It was really good!! What they did was alot of lettuce,lots of pickles, the cheese, special sauce onions and the patties. They did an amazing job and they did not give me an attitude! My mom was with me and she is writing Mcdonalds suggesting that they should make a big mac salad for Celiacs.

So if you ever feel like a big mac it's really good, and you can suggest them to ask for it like a salad and hopefully soon it will be a salad!!

Amyleigh0007 Enthusiast
Amyleigh0007
Posted

I don't trust McDonald's to make a bunless burger unless I was standing right there and was watching them. They have messed up too many times or else they look at me like I have two heads. We eat their fries on a regular basis and have no problems. We also have shakes.

  • 3 weeks later...
Shess0816 Apprentice
Shess0816
Posted
I don't trust McDonald's to make a bunless burger unless I was standing right there and was watching them. They have messed up too many times or else they look at me like I have two heads. We eat their fries on a regular basis and have no problems. We also have shakes.

Just as a precaution for you, I was looking on the list of ingredients provided for McDonalds and their fries are NOT gluten free. They use a natural beef flavoring on their fries and that flavoring contains hydrolyzed wheat as a starting ingredient. Burger King's fries, on the other hand, do not have that flavoring on them and are gluten free (as long as you make sure they have a dedicated french fry frier and scooper and that no onion rings sneak their way into the fries!). I personally don't chance fast food fries, but I know people who eat the BK ones all the time and do not get sick!

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JillianLindsay Enthusiast
JillianLindsay
Posted

I would NEVER trust McD's... maybe Wendy's if it wasn't busy and I could watch everything being done. Here's the gluten-free list for Canada :)Open Original Shared Link

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted
Just as a precaution for you, I was looking on the list of ingredients provided for McDonalds and their fries are NOT gluten free. They use a natural beef flavoring on their fries and that flavoring contains hydrolyzed wheat as a starting ingredient. Burger King's fries, on the other hand, do not have that flavoring on them and are gluten free (as long as you make sure they have a dedicated french fry frier and scooper and that no onion rings sneak their way into the fries!). I personally don't chance fast food fries, but I know people who eat the BK ones all the time and do not get sick!

While McD does list wheat in their fries, the fries have been independently tested and have shown NO measurable level of gluten. Even CSA, which is extremely cautious and even alarmist sometimes, agrees there is no measurable gluten in the fries.

richard

  • 9 months later...
celiacprincess17 Newbie
celiacprincess17
Posted

I know this is really late, but Chick-fil-A fries are really good, and safe.

Suzy1999 Newbie
Suzy1999
Posted

I know this is really late, but Chick-fil-A fries are really good, and safe.

My daughter often has the chili cheese fries from Carls Jr also very good.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

My daughter often has the chili cheese fries from Carls Jr also very good.

Do they use dedicated fryers? We don't have them here but I remember going to one in CA. I used to get my daughter the chicken stars. That was before we knew of her allergies. Pretty sure they have wheat in them.

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

My daughter often has the chili cheese fries from Carls Jr also very good.

Are you sure the fryers are dedicated? They aren't at Hardee's, which is essentially the same place.

richard

jackay Enthusiast
jackay
Posted

Hello,

I am newly diagnosed with Celiac. I was diagnosed in the beginning of the summer and I was craving the big mac (probably because I couldn't have it), well anyway I ordered it with out the bun in several different places and it was really good. Alot of the Mcdonalds employees don't understand the no bun thing and it can get frustrating but they do try to accommodate me. Well I had gone to the McDonalds in Cinnaminson NJ and ordered the big mac with no bun and they had never done it before either. Well they asked and questioned a little bit but did not give me a problem and they made it in a saled bowl. It was really good!! What they did was alot of lettuce,lots of pickles, the cheese, special sauce onions and the patties. They did an amazing job and they did not give me an attitude! My mom was with me and she is writing Mcdonalds suggesting that they should make a big mac salad for Celiacs.

So if you ever feel like a big mac it's really good, and you can suggest them to ask for it like a salad and hopefully soon it will be a salad!!

So the special sauce is gluten free? I stopped at Mac's with a friend for coffee and saw a sign showing a Big Mac. Oh how I miss that special sauce. I just may try one without the bun myself.

My DIL always orders burgers without buns because she tries to stick to the Atkins diet. I really feel she is gluten intolerant (has psoriasis) but I'm not preaching my diet to anyone. If she asks me about it, I will give it a plug. She always says she feels better when she doesn't eat carbs of any kind. I wonder if it is really only the gluten ones that bother her.

My DD says she limits dairy and wheat. I also think she can give up both but she has to come to that decision herself.

Frances03 Enthusiast
Frances03
Posted

Our Hardee's has dedicated fryers, and the fries are gluten free. They also offer a bunless burger which is gluten free, but you do need to watch and make sure they wipe down the prep counter first and change gloves and stuff. But they have been willing to do it for me several times, and it's a good big burger, all wrapped in lettuce leaves. They have a lot of info on their website too.

Open Original Shared Link

Frances03 Enthusiast
Frances03
Posted

Also, big mac sauce does contain wheat and is NOT gluten free. There really isn't anything safe at McDonalds IMO.

Tina B Apprentice
Tina B
Posted

So the special sauce is gluten free? I stopped at Mac's with a friend for coffee and saw a sign showing a Big Mac. Oh how I miss that special sauce. I just may try one without the bun myself.

My DIL always orders burgers without buns because she tries to stick to the Atkins diet. I really feel she is gluten intolerant (has psoriasis) but I'm not preaching my diet to anyone. If she asks me about it, I will give it a plug. She always says she feels better when she doesn't eat carbs of any kind. I wonder if it is really only the gluten ones that bother her.

My DD says she limits dairy and wheat. I also think she can give up both but she has to come to that decision herself.

I ordered burgers without the bun lots on ski trips for lunch. I used to feel weird doing it years ago and then came the Atkins diet and then the South Beach diet craze and everon was ordering bunless burgers with a side salad instead of fries because of the carbs. Voila! not weird anymore.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

My dad told me today that Wendys is changing its menu and the salads will no longer be the same. Sounds like they are doing salads more like Arbys. They are now owned by the same company. I used to trust Wendys. Do not trust Arbys.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Also, big mac sauce does contain wheat and is NOT gluten free. There really isn't anything safe at McDonalds IMO.

Check ingredients in the country where you live, as they vary from country to country. The Big Mac sauce contains hydrolyzed wheat protein in Canada and the US, but is gluten-free in the UK.

TCA Contributor
TCA
Posted

So the special sauce is gluten free? I stopped at Mac's with a friend for coffee and saw a sign showing a Big Mac. Oh how I miss that special sauce. I just may try one without the bun myself.

My DIL always orders burgers without buns because she tries to stick to the Atkins diet. I really feel she is gluten intolerant (has psoriasis) but I'm not preaching my diet to anyone. If she asks me about it, I will give it a plug. She always says she feels better when she doesn't eat carbs of any kind. I wonder if it is really only the gluten ones that bother her.

My DD says she limits dairy and wheat. I also think she can give up both but she has to come to that decision herself.

sorry to be the bearer of bad news, bur McD's ingredients list states wheat is in the special sauce.

polarbearscooby Explorer
polarbearscooby
Posted

Chick-Fil-A fries are the BEST

I was iffy about BK fries since I'd never been to a BK and didn't get at least ONE onion ring in my fries (Before diagnoses) but I went to one and asked about a dedicated Fryer and it was awesome!! :) I missed those fries so much...

McD's fries tend to make me sick if I eat them more than once or twice in a week (found this out the hard way while traveling)

I was going to eat at a Wendy's once but the manager tried to convince my Dad that their whole menu was gluten-free so we decided not to even stop there again....

LOVE Applebee's Steaks and Baked Potatoes :)

OH!

And Chipotle Open Original Shared Link

They are amazing! AND most are willing to open fresh cheese and meat for you just to be safe against CC and you can watch them make your food :D :D :D

MonKol Rookie
MonKol
Posted

Never tried Macdonalds... the idea grosses me out after a year and half eating gluten free and being healthy but in a pinch i did eat a wendy's baked potato and seriously paid for it. I don't know how or why but i was ill for a week afterwards. never again.

  • 2 years later...
Toni25 Newbie
Toni25
Posted

I got "glutened" at Wendys...

I looked up what items at Wendys were gluten free, and decided on the Chocolate Frosty Shake.

Apparently I should have stuck with a plain Chocolate frosty, because the shakes are made with the same shake machine as non-gluten free shakes.

Got really sick. From now on I will get a plain Chocolate Frosty, maybe ask for whip cream/ chocolate sauce on top if I want something a little more like the shake.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

I got "glutened" at Wendys...

I looked up what items at Wendys were gluten free, and decided on the Chocolate Frosty Shake.

Apparently I should have stuck with a plain Chocolate frosty, because the shakes are made with the same shake machine as non-gluten free shakes.

Got really sick. From now on I will get a plain Chocolate Frosty, maybe ask for whip cream/ chocolate sauce on top if I want something a little more like the shake.

Which shakes contain gluten? I don't see any Open Original Shared Link

come dance with me Enthusiast
come dance with me
Posted

It probably differs from one place to another, but our Maccas has a dedicated fryer for the fries, they are guaranteed gluten free and vegan, same with the hash browns. The oil is a vegan oil too.

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