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

Does Anyone Ever Get Mcdonalds Burgers


beebs

Recommended Posts

beebs Enthusiast

Have you reacted to it? I am starting to get desperate on long drives, I read the website and it says a few of them are gluten-free - but I'm just wondering about cross contamination etc.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Lisa Mentor

Have you reacted to it? I am starting to get desperate on long drives, I read the website and it says a few of them are gluten-free - but I'm just wondering about cross contamination etc.

Cross contamination is not the correct term, but it's frequently used, so I understand what you are asking.

Cross CONTACT is a high risk at fast food restaurants, where the staff is paid minimum wage and not well informed. There in is your risk. The burgers, out of the freezer are most likely gluten free. What happens after that is subject to cross contact.

I have ordered one on a bed of lettuce and the lettuce wilted and it was a big mess. I don't remember getting ill, but I'm not too sensitive. But not very impressed with the offer McD's offered me.

French fries, I have never had a problem. You can find other options on line. The Fries are tested and considered safe for people with Celiac to consume. Some people choose to, others, not.

If I was on the road, I would look for Wendy's. You have more options and you can find their gluten free menu online.

The bottom line is...that it won't be the same thing that you remember.

But, that's up to you. B)

Adalaide Mentor

I wouldn't eat at McDonald's, which has nothing to do with the fry debate. To the best of my knowledge the seasoning they use on the Angus burgers has wheat. Since all burgers get cooked on the same grill in the same place, that means that it's quite likely that the regular burgers will end up with a small amount of gluten on them. I tend to be rather sensitive and am not willing to risk spending an evening locked in the bathroom over a burger.

As Lisa suggests, Wendy's is great. I eat there frequently, far more often than I have any business eating fast food. (Ad a matter of fact I ate there tonight.) I've had burgers without buns, baked potatoes, salads (always verify they have grilled and not breaded chicken and no croutons), frostys (not the parfait, the apple one has granola) and french fries. Always, no matter where you eat verify that french fries are done in a dedicated fryer to prevent CC from all the breaded stuff most restaurants serve. We had a really mild winter and I can't remember now if I had chili before or after my diagnosis and can't remember if it's gluten free or not. I keep a binder in my Jeep with lists of gluten free foods at some local places so if I find myself out and hungry or suddenly invited somewhere I can attempt to eat safely. Of all of the gluten free options I reviewed at all of the fast food places we have locally Wendy's has the largest selection.

lovegrov Collaborator

The Angus seasoning lists no wheat whatsoever:

Angus Burger Seasoning: Salt, sugar, onion powder, natural (animal, plant and botanical source) and artificial flavors, spice, maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast extract, dried beef broth, dextrose, garlic powder, worcestershire sauce powder [distilled vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, salt, caramel color, garlic powder, sugar, spices, tamarind, natural flavor (fruit source)], spice extractives, beef fat, caramel color, annatto and turmeric (color).

HOWEVER, the McDonalds burger without a bun that I've had was by far the worst of any place I've been. The best, IMO, is the Low Carb Thickburger at Hardees (Carls). And at any place like that you're taking a chance of cross contamination or cross contact or whatever you want to call it.

richard

VydorScope Proficient

The Angus seasoning lists no wheat whatsoever:

Angus Burger Seasoning: Salt, sugar, onion powder, natural (animal, plant and botanical source) and artificial flavors, spice, maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast extract, dried beef broth, dextrose, garlic powder, worcestershire sauce powder [distilled vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, salt, caramel color, garlic powder, sugar, spices, tamarind, natural flavor (fruit source)], spice extractives, beef fat, caramel color, annatto and turmeric (color).

HOWEVER, the McDonalds burger without a bun that I've had was by far the worst of any place I've been. The best, IMO, is the Low Carb Thickburger at Hardees (Carls). And at any place like that you're taking a chance of cross contamination or cross contact or whatever you want to call it.

richard

I typically eat burgers without bun since I am diabetic... but I do not have any issue with Gluten. My son does, and for now at least I just do not risk it with him. McD's and others of that caliber tend to higher teenagers and I have not seen any of those stores where I can say I was impressed with their food handling skills. I can not even begin to count the number of times they have gotten my order wrong in ways that are just annoying to me (ie ops we forgot and left the bun on, or an onion ring in my fries) but would be a serious problem for some one with food issues.

That is just my opinion, not based on anything but my personal experience.

Darn210 Enthusiast

Richard, when the Angus burger first came out, the seasoning DID have wheat or barley or something in it. I don't know when they took it out.

Prior to the Angus burger, my daughter use to get the occassional McD's burger without a bun. She did fine with it, but she's not overly sensitive. I do remember calling to ask the local McD's when they actually put the Angus burger seasoning on . . . after it's removed from the grill or when it was still on. The manager told me it was while it was still on the grill and that's when we stopped with the burgers.

I noticed a few months ago (the first time I had checked in a long time) that there was no longer gluten listed in the Angus seasoning but we haven't had a McD's burger since then. In general, when we are on the road we shoot for a Wendy's because the whole family prefers it.

IrishHeart Veteran

And at any place like that you're taking a chance of cross contamination or cross contact or whatever you want to call it.

I think so, too. Cross-contamination can happen anywhere.

It's just the way it is, I'm afraid.

:(


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Adalaide Mentor

That's my bad on the seasoning, I guess I looked at an old ingredient list. Where I live fast food places don't hire teenagers, they hire people who don't speak English. I get that everyone needs a job but if I can't communicate my needs to someone who understands me I can't be safe. Wendy's is the only local national fast food place that hires adults who speak fluent English. We have Sonics but all the workers there look 12. (The older I get the younger kids with jobs seem to be.) We also have In-N-Out but they're a little farther away and I just haven't bothered going there yet. They also aren't a national chain so I couldn't travel and eat there.

CeliacMom2012 Newbie

I have found that the Waterburger where we live is an awesome place for me to take my son who has Celiac, and this may be due to the fact that the manager has Celiac also. They will do everything so specific its crazy.

faithforlife Apprentice

Really? I've never tried Whataburger. Good to know! We do Wendy's.

Kelleybean Enthusiast

Harder to find, but I've heard that 5 Guys does a good job.

~**caselynn**~ Enthusiast

I recently took a bus trip to NYC and on a stop midway, we had McD's. Now I would normally skip it or do my own thing, but another girl had said she eats there without trouble. (at her local one) soo, I got the burger, labeled gluten-free on the website, SICKER THAN A DOG DOESN'T EVEN BEGIN TO COVER IT.....and I had to ride an hour to the hotel, and 4 hrs home the next day...NEVER AGAIN will I eat at a place like that. It's like Russian roulette with your body, count me out.

lovegrov Collaborator

The 5 Guys that used to be in our area (closed) did about as good a job as a place like that could. The manager heard my request and took over making the burger, making sure to change gloves and to put down fresh foil in a cleaned off spot.

I still like the LC Thickburger best, but probably more chance of contamination. However, in the couple dozen times that I've eaten it, I've never gotten sick -- and boy do I get sick.

richard

lynnelise Apprentice

I do get bunless double cheeseburgers at McDonald's on occassion. So far no issues but locally the employees tend to be older and quite competent.

~**caselynn**~ Enthusiast

I do get bunless double cheeseburgers at McDonald's on occassion. So far no issues but locally the employees tend to be older and quite competent.

You are much braver than I am lol I had that one bad experience and never again for me!

Archived

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


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,395
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Graceland.h
    Newest Member
    Graceland.h
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
      I had the same thing happen to me at around your age, and to this day it's the most painful experience I've ever had. For me it was the right side of my head, above my ear, running from my nerves in my neck. For years before my outbreak I felt a tingling sensation shooting along the exact nerves that ended up exactly where the shingles blisters appeared. I highly recommend the two shot shingles vaccine as soon as your turn 50--I did this because I started to get the same tingling sensations in the same area, and after the vaccines I've never felt that again.  As you likely know, shingles is caused by chicken pox, which was once though of as one of those harmless childhood viruses that everyone should catch in the wild--little did they know that it can stay in your nervous system for your entire life, and cause major issues as you age.
    • trents
    • Clear2me
      Thanks for the info. I recently moved to CA from Wyoming and in that western region the Costco and Sam's /Walmart Brands have many nuts and more products that are labeled gluten free. I was told it's because those products are packaged and processed  in different  plants. Some plants can be labeled  gluten free because the plant does not also package gluten products and they know that for example the trucks, containers equipment are not used to handle wheat, barely or Rye. The Walmart butter in the western region says gluten free but not here. Most of The Kirkland and Members Mark brands in CA say they are from Vietnam. That's not the case in Wyoming and Colorado. I've spoken to customer service at the stores here in California. They were not helpful. I check labels every time I go to the store. The stores where I am are a Sh*tshow. The Magalopoly grocery chain Vons/Safeway/Albertsons, etc. are the same. Fishers and Planters brands no longer say gluten free. It could be regional. There are nuts with sugar coatings and fruit and nut mixes at the big chains that are labeled gluten free but I don't want the fruit or sugar.  It's so difficult I am considering moving again. I thought it would be easier to find safe food in a more populated area. It's actually worse.  I was undiagnosed for most of my life but not because I didn't try to figure it out. So I have had all the complications possible. I don't have any spare organs left.  No a little gluten will hurt you. The autoimmune process continues to destroy your organs though you may not feel it. If you are getting a little all the time and as much as we try we probably all are and so the damage is happening. Now the FDA has pretty much abandoned celiacs. There are no requirements for labeling for common allergens on medications. All the generic drugs made outside the US are not regulated for common allergens and the FDA is taking the last gluten free porcine Thyroid med, NP Thyroid, off the market in 2026. I was being glutened by a generic levothyroxin. The insurance wouldn't pay for the gluten free brand any longer because the FDA took them all off their approved formulary. So now I am paying $147 out of pocket for NP Thyroid but shortly I will have no safe choice. Other people with allergies should be aware that these foreign generic pharmaceutical producers are using ground shellfish shell as pill coatings and anti-desicants. The FDA knows this but  now just waits for consumers to complain or die. The take over of Wholefoods by Amazon destroyed a very reliable source of good high quality food for people with allergies and for people who wanted good reliably organic food. Bezos thought  he could make a fortune off people who were paying alot for organic and allergen free food by substituting cheap brands from Thailand. He didn't understand who the customers were who were willing to pay more for that food and why. I went from spending hundreds to nothing because Bezo removed every single trusted brand that I was buying. Now they are closing Whole foods stores across the country. In CA, Mill Valley store (closed July 2025) and the National Blvd. store in West Los Angeles (closed October 2025). The Cupertino store will close.  In recent years I have learned to be careful and trust no one. I have been deleberately glutened in a restaurant that was my favorite (a new employee). The Chef owner was not in the kitchen that night. I've had  a metal scouring pad cut up over my food.The chain offered gluten free dishes but it only takes one crazy who thinks you're a problem as a food fadist. Good thing I always look. Good thing they didn't do that to food going to a child with a busy mom.  I give big tips and apologize for having to ask in restaurants but mental illness seem to be rampant. I've learn the hard way.          I don't buy any processed food that doesn't say gluten free.  I am a life long Catholic. I worked for the Church while at college. I don't go to Church anymore because the men at the top decided Jesus is gluten. The special hosts are gluten less not gluten free. No I can't drink wine after people with gluten in their mouth and a variety of deadly germs. I have been abandoned and excluded by my Church/Family.  Having nearly died several times, safe food is paramount. If your immune system collapses as mine did, you get sepsis. It can kill you very quickly. I spent 5 days unconscious and had to have my appendix and gall bladder removed because they were necrotic. I was 25. They didn't figure out I had celiac till I was 53. No one will take the time to tell you what can happen when your immune system gets overwhelmed from its constant fighting the gluten and just stops. It is miserable that our food is processed so carelessly. Our food in many aspects is not safe. And the merging of all the grocery chains has made it far worse. Its a disaster. Krogers also recently purchased Vitacost where I was getting the products I could no longer get at Whole Foods. Kroger is eliminating those products from Vitacost just a Bezos did from WF. I am looking for reliable and certified sources for nuts. I have lived the worst consequences of the disease and being exposed unknowingly and maliciously. Once I was diagnosed I learned way more than anyone should have to about the food industry.  I don't do gray areas. And now I dont eat out except very rarely.  I have not eaten fast food for 30 years before the celiac diagnosis. Gluten aside..... It's not food and it's not safe.  No one has got our backs. Sharing safe food sources is one thing we can do to try to be safe.        
    • Mmoc
      Thank you kindly for your response. I have since gotten the other type of bloods done and am awaiting results. 
×
×
  • 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.