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Glutened By El Pollo Loco!

Kimbalou

By Kimbalou
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Kimbalou Enthusiast
Kimbalou
Posted

When I ordered the taquitos at El Pollo Loco I assumed they were corn tortillas...most taquitos are usually made with corn tortillas aren't they?! I asked the drive thru employee if they were made from corn tortillas and she said yes. As I am half way through eating my second taquito, I realize...this tortilla is really big for a corn tortilla...and then it hit me! I was also dumb enough to think these were corn tortillas when they were flour!! When they are fried, it's hard to tell which kind they are, especially if I am enjoying them so much and not even thinking they are flour.I looked up the ingredients online and also saw that the chicken mix in the taquitos also has gluten! This is probably the first time in over a year I have glutened myself this badly!

I am trying not to panic, but I feel like calling the restaurant and telling them to make sure they know the ingredients of their damn food! I guess I can't expect much from a teenage fast food worker. So I feel stupid, too.

On a good note...my co-workers gave me a gluten-free potluck for my birthday last week. It was really good! They had a potato bar, salads, chicken, rice and desserts.

Ok...waiting for the diarrhea to begin!!

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Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

...and lesson learned. B):D

tom Contributor
tom
Posted

I really like El Pollo Loco but wow they just love to add new items, always making me worry about a new source of cc. Like grilled burritos. Is everyone *always* doing that away from my grilling chicken? Sure, they're supposed to but will they when swamped & there's room?

Hope you're better soon. Extra probiotics might help. And I've seen talk of the enzymes in papayas & pineapples helping. Other threads have more suggestions, tho most imho lean towards not making it worse or enduring it a little better. Good luck.

Strawberry-Jam Enthusiast
Strawberry-Jam
Posted

just... don't eat fast food. better safe than sorry.

lynnelise Apprentice
lynnelise
Posted

Happy late Birthday! I love it when friends and coworkers surprise you with something gluten free! :)

Hope your glutening isn't too bad!

hexon Rookie
hexon
Posted

I recently had the same thing happen at a Mexican Restaurant with tamales with white cheese sauce. No idea what was in them that got me, but I didn't have too much fun for the next week and a half. I feel your pain.

  • 2 weeks later...
SGRhapsodos Rookie
SGRhapsodos
Posted

Anything involving a wrap, tortilla, or sandwich like is asking for trouble. I just avoid Mexican food that isn't carne asada.

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Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I always print out the allergy information from the internet. (And pray!) Sorry you got glutened. :(

PadmeMaster Apprentice
PadmeMaster
Posted

just... don't eat fast food. better safe than sorry.

Or go in so you can ask someone who has time to answer.

I learned what made taco bell unsafe so was stupid enough to try something they didn't call gluten free. I now am only touching thigs like fries (that I've either asked about or eaten at THAT location so know I don't have a reaction) or chik-fil-a (the location near me is very nice; there's a pretty small group of people here but within a week of the new nuggets being offered I asked and she didn't even hesitate despite that I told her (through my mom) why *I* wasn't just trusting the "bread less" factor.

Fast food is a bad plan :)

SGRhapsodos Rookie
SGRhapsodos
Posted

Most staff is clueless about what they use in their foods. That's why when I do eat out I'm just hoping for the best and try not to stress out. A lot of waiters/servers give you the, "oh not another health nut" look. I had one waiter at brewzy tell me where the low calorie food selections were after I asked him if the had gluten free plates.

tom Contributor
tom
Posted

I'd like to reiterate that El Pollo Loco has been perfectly safe for me countless times over the years.

I get just the grilled chicken meal w/ pinto beans, no tortillas. Even if they forget & add tortillas, they're in a little envelope of sorts & haven't touched anything.

If I'm taking it home I might make rice tortilla burritos.

Mmm mouth actually watering now . .. .

I also find I feel safer ordering while I can see the grill just a few feet away, full of nothing but that tasty Pollo. (Que Sabor!) Hope that's right I don't really speak spanish.

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