Jump to content

  • 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

Fries- Fast Food Chains

munchkinette

By munchkinette
in Gluten-Free Restaurants

Recommended Posts

munchkinette Collaborator
munchkinette
Posted

I'm traveling next week (Honolulu) and I'm wondering if there are any major chains that have gluten free fries. I don't usually eat them so I don't pay attention, but McDonald's and Burger King seem to be in most airports and tourist destinations.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


MelindaLee Contributor
MelindaLee
Posted

I'm traveling next week (Honolulu) and I'm wondering if there are any major chains that have gluten free fries. I don't usually eat them so I don't pay attention, but McDonald's and Burger King seem to be in most airports and tourist destinations.

I can't help much, but I can tell you that McDonald's are NOT okay <_<

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I can't help much, but I can tell you that McDonald's are NOT okay <_<

Yes, they are. There is a trace of wheat-based flavoring used in processing that McDonalds does disclose, but when the finished fries are tested independently there is no detectable gluten on the most sensitive assays.

Chick-Fil-A is good, and some Burger King restaurants have a dedicated fryer for their french fries. You have to ask every time, though.

modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted

I'm not sure that I'd eat McDonald's fries after all the debate that has gone on with them about whether they are or aren't safe for celiacs. Depsite them testing with no levels of gluten, they're typically made in shared fryers. I know that all Chick-Fil-A's have dedicated fryers but depending on where you are in the country, it might be tough to track them down. When I'm in airports, I tend to stick to cashews, candy (terrible I know) or a bag of chips if I have to eat. I always try to keep some glutino crackers or pretzels or a granola bar in my bag for travel purposes too!

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

McDonalds have dedicated fryers for the fries in order that nothing else can compromise the flavor of the fries. In the store layout, those dedicated fryers are in a different part of the store, and are operated by different employees.

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

Peter is right. McD fries are definitely done in separate fryers and usually are nowhere near the other fryers. MOST Wendy's fryers are dedicated and the fries are gluten-free. Same with BK, although the fryers are near each other so CC is more likely. Hardees (Carls) does NOT have dedicated fryers.

Just to be safe, always ask about dedicated fryers.

richard

munchkinette Collaborator
munchkinette
Posted
  • Author

When I'm in airports, I tend to stick to cashews, candy (terrible I know) or a bag of chips if I have to eat. I always try to keep some glutino crackers or pretzels or a granola bar in my bag for travel purposes too!

Yeah... the only time I came home early from a trip due to glutening was 2 years ago in the Dominican Republic. I was living off peanut M&Ms. I can't do that again.

I do have some snacks to bring in my bag, as well as my soy sauce packets. The hostel has a kitchen. (I've stayed there before.) Still, I know that going out drinking involves late night snacks, and I like to know my options before my judgment is compromised.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


scarlett77 Apprentice
scarlett77
Posted

In & Out if they have them there. Ask for protein style burger and a separate box for your fries. Tell them you have a wheat allergy and to change their gloves. Usually they are pretty good about this. Try to make sure it is not peak hours because it will take more time for your food.

MaryJones2 Enthusiast
MaryJones2
Posted

I eat Five Guys Fries and bunless burgers all the time. Pretty sure they are in HI. Everything is safe there except the bun. The burgers are cooked on a seperate grill so as far as fast food goes there is very little chance of CC. Chick Fil A is the only other place I'll eat fries.

K-Dawg Explorer
K-Dawg
Posted

The McD fries thing is weird. I work downtown Toronto and there is a McD's near my office. I went there for fries a few weeks ago. I asked the girl behind the counter if the fries are done in dedicated fryers (cuz I always like to confirm before putting food in my mouth...what if a policy changes?) and she gave me a weird look. So I asked, "Do you fry your french fries in seperate fryers?" and she said, "yes" and I said, "so you don't fry anything else in them?" and she said "... pause....NO". Because of the pause, I asked "never?" and she said, "Well, we're not supposed to, but sometimes we do." I then told her I had celiac disease and could get sick if I ate fries cross-contaminated with items that have gluten.

I was so sad...esp cuz I had no lunch as my plan had been to get McD's fries.

Has anyone else ever encountered this? Maybe it was a one-off?

KDawg

McDonalds have dedicated fryers for the fries in order that nothing else can compromise the flavor of the fries. In the store layout, those dedicated fryers are in a different part of the store, and are operated by different employees.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Company policy may be nothing else in the fryers but in reality, they sometimes use them for something else. Appreicate her honesty.

modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted

This was definitely the first I have heard of McDonald's using dedicated fryers, but I will be the first to admit that I zoned out after the first 1082913712 pages during the initial debate :blink: I have, however, in the past when eating those evil fries, found pieces of fried chicken or bits of coating in the bottom of the fry thing...which to me tells me they're sharing something they shouldn't!!

I totally forgot about Five Guys. LOVE THEM!

i-geek Rookie
i-geek
Posted

I eat Five Guys Fries and bunless burgers all the time. Pretty sure they are in HI. Everything is safe there except the bun. The burgers are cooked on a seperate grill so as far as fast food goes there is very little chance of CC.

Yes. Five Guys is an awesome chain. Love them.

To the OP- you mentioned that you're staying at a hostel with a kitchen, which is a big plus. I would like to mention that if you're planning on cooking, pack your own skillet, cutting board, and utensils. Those things are likely provided in the hostel kitchen, but it's anyone's guess what was previously prepared using them and how well they were cleaned.

As for airport food: I didn't trust the McD that I found in the O'Hare airport (Chicago). They were absolutely mobbed and I didn't see evidence of separate fryers. I stuck with a fruit cup and Kind bar from the Starbucks kiosk.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

This was definitely the first I have heard of McDonald's using dedicated fryers, but I will be the first to admit that I zoned out after the first 1082913712 pages during the initial debate :blink: I have, however, in the past when eating those evil fries, found pieces of fried chicken or bits of coating in the bottom of the fry thing...which to me tells me they're sharing something they shouldn't!!

I totally forgot about Five Guys. LOVE THEM!

Betcha it was bits of breakfast hash browns, which are cooked at the same station. Little bits break off easily and we always ended up with hash brown crumbs in the fry bags at the changeover from breakfast to lunch.

I worked in a McDonald's in high school and not much has changed as far as their fried foods. We would have been reprimanded the first time and fired the second if we put something other than fries into the fry station. The grease is a different temperature and the foods do not cook correctly in the wrong fryers. McDonald's is all about process control and consistency.

I'm pretty sensitive and I've eaten plenty of McDonald's fries without problems.

scarlett77 Apprentice
scarlett77
Posted

Betcha it was bits of breakfast hash browns, which are cooked at the same station. Little bits break off easily and we always ended up with hash brown crumbs in the fry bags at the changeover from breakfast to lunch.

I worked in a McDonald's in high school and not much has changed as far as their fried foods. We would have been reprimanded the first time and fired the second if we put something other than fries into the fry station. The grease is a different temperature and the foods do not cook correctly in the wrong fryers. McDonald's is all about process control and consistency.

I'm pretty sensitive and I've eaten plenty of McDonald's fries without problems.

I'm wondering if I should give McD's a try again. I had done research awhile back and decided that McD's fries were OK and so let my son have them (which was his absolute favorite treat). After a couple of months I saw that his improvement had stopped and thought maybe it was the fries (although it could really have been a number of other things). It is incredibly hard to tell if he has been glutened.

Hubby & I hate driving by McD's because our son asks for fries every time he sees the sign.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I'm wondering if I should give McD's a try again. I had done research awhile back and decided that McD's fries were OK and so let my son have them (which was his absolute favorite treat). After a couple of months I saw that his improvement had stopped and thought maybe it was the fries (although it could really have been a number of other things). It is incredibly hard to tell if he has been glutened.

Hubby & I hate driving by McD's because our son asks for fries every time he sees the sign.

You could always talk to the manager at that particular store and see whether their policies about the fryers are as strict as when I worked there.

modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted

hmm...it could've been a burnt hashbrown....I didn't think of that one.

I always did love McDonald's fries...maybe because I know they're bad for you which is why they're so delish. Perhaps I'll give her another go!

  • 2 weeks later...
cyberprof Enthusiast
cyberprof
Posted

hmm...it could've been a burnt hashbrown....I didn't think of that one.

I always did love McDonald's fries...maybe because I know they're bad for you which is why they're so delish. Perhaps I'll give her another go!

I might try too...I haven't eaten anything but fries at McD's since 1986 (including on a trip where I attended a convention for three days at Hamburger University in 1990). But pre-gluten-free I would get drive-thru fries and a coke once a week. Bad for the waistline but a quick, cheap treat.

Frances03 Enthusiast
Frances03
Posted

The only place I will eat fries is Chick-Fil-A. I've recently started making my own fries and I LOVE them. It is SO easy too. I don't crave fast food fries at all any more.

  • 2 months later...
3Celiacs Newbie
3Celiacs
Posted

I'm traveling next week (Honolulu) and I'm wondering if there are any major chains that have gluten free fries. I don't usually eat them so I don't pay attention, but McDonald's and Burger King seem to be in most airports and tourist destinations.

My understanding is that the only gluten free french fry is the unprocessed french fry, ie: In N Out, & Wendy's now has natural fries too. As for how they're cooked, if you were at a place that had onion rings or other battered, fried food, I highly doubt that a fryer is dedicated to just fries unless it's openly mentioned on the gluten free portion of their menu. You could always ask the staff, but good luck communicating. I've tried to ask about gluten free french fries and the response has been: "No, we don't have free fries"! You know the saying, "Better safe than sorry",? Well, better no gluten fries than sorry!

3Celiacs Newbie
3Celiacs
Posted

You could always talk to the manager at that particular store and see whether their policies about the fryers are as strict as when I worked there.

We used to feel sorry for ourselves at first too, then I went and purchased a small fryer. Ya, it sucks not being able to hit the drive thru, but not as bad as feeling sick. When I feel the need to do my extra mommy thing I make my boys fries, but now Wendy's has gluten free fries so we're not limited to mine or In N Outs.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

We used to feel sorry for ourselves at first too, then I went and purchased a small fryer. Ya, it sucks not being able to hit the drive thru, but not as bad as feeling sick. When I feel the need to do my extra mommy thing I make my boys fries, but now Wendy's has gluten free fries so we're not limited to mine or In N Outs.

How did you find out that Wendy's fries are gluten-free? Aren't they fried in the same fryer with something else? The Wendy's website clearly states they may be fried with gluten containing items.

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

How did you find out that Wendy's fries are gluten-free? Aren't they fried in the same fryer with something else? The Wendy's website clearly states they may be fried with gluten containing items.

MOST Wendy's have dedicated fryers but a few don't, hence the warning at the website. Just ask.

richard

RideAllWays Enthusiast
RideAllWays
Posted

Peter is right. McD fries are definitely done in separate fryers and usually are nowhere near the other fryers. MOST Wendy's fryers are dedicated and the fries are gluten-free. Same with BK, although the fryers are near each other so CC is more likely. Hardees (Carls) does NOT have dedicated fryers.

Just to be safe, always ask about dedicated fryers.

richard

Always ask, this was not the case in the McD I worked at; the nuggets were fried in the same oil, right next to the french fries.

Laura Apprentice
Laura
Posted

Adding my vote to everyone who said Five Guys and In N Out. So, so good, and since it's just straight-up potato and they don't have anything else deep-fried, you know what you're getting.

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,594
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    kathleenconley
    Newest Member
    kathleenconley
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Wheatwacked
      Potential celiac need advice

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Yes.  Now, if you hit your finger with a hammer once, wouldn't you do your best not to do it again?  You have identified a direct connection between gluten and pain.  Gluten is your hammer.  Now you have to decide if you need a medical diagnosis.  Some countries have aid benefits tgat you can get if you have the diagnosis, but you must continue eating a gluten-normal diet while pursuing the diagnosis. Otherwise the only reason to continue eating gluten is social. There are over 200 symptoms that could be a result of celiac disease.. Celiac Disease and Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity  both cause multiple vitamin and mineral deficiency.  Dealing with that should help your recovery, even while eating gluten.  Phosphatidyl Choline supplements can help your gut if digesting fats is a problem,  Consider that any medications you take could be causing some of the symptoms, aside from gluten.        
    • trents
      Potential celiac need advice

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Ben98! If you have been consciously or unconsciously avoiding gluten because of the discomfort it produces then it is likely that your blood antibody testing for celiac disease has been rendered invalid. Valid testing requires regular consumption of generous amounts of gluten. The other strong possibility is that you have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) which shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease but does not have the autoimmune component and thus does not damage the small bowel lining. It is 10x mor common than celiac disease. There is currently no test for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out. Some experts in the field believe it can be a precursor to the development of celiac disease. Having one or both of the primary genes for developing celiac disease does not imply that you will develop active celiac disease. It simply establishes the potential for it. About 40% of the population has the genetic potential but only about 1% develop active celiac disease. 
    • Ben98
      Potential celiac need advice

      By Ben98 · Posted

      TTG blood test and total IGA tested on many occasions which have always remained normal, upper GI pain under my ribs since 2022. I had an endoscopy in 2023 which showed moderate gastritis. no biopsy’s were taken unfortunately. genetic test was positive for HLADQ2. extreme bloating after eating gluten, it’ll feel like I’ve got bricks in my stomach so uncomfortably full. the pain is like a dull ache under the upper left almost like a stitch feeling after a long walk. I am just wanting some advice has anyone here experienced gastritis with a gluten issue before? thank you  
    • Wheatwacked
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      "Conclusions: The urinary iodine level was significantly lower in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, and iodine replacement may be important in preventing osteoporosis"  Body iodine status in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis Low iodine can cause thyroid problems, but Iodine deficiency will not show up in thyroid tests.  Iodine is important for healing, its job is to kill off defective and aging cells (Apoptosis). Skin, brain fog, nails, muscle tone all inproved when I started taking 600 mcg (RDA 150 - 1000 mcg) of Liquid Iodine drops. Some with dermatitis herpetiformis, Iodine exacerbates the rash.  I started at 1 drop (50 mcg) and worked up to 12 drops, but I don't have dermatitis herpetiformis.
    • cristiana
      How long does it take to gain weight?

      By cristiana · Posted

      That's great news, you can do this.  Let us know how things go and don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions. Cristiana 😊
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.