No matter how much planning you do in advance, you may sometimes need to zoom-in and zoom-out of a drive-through restaurant. If you’re gluten-free, this can be a challenge.
While most allergen information is online, you may not have the time to spare to examine a drive-through’s menu. If you’re in a rural state, you may not have a reliable phone connection to connect to the internet. In such cases, it can be helpful to have a text or note on your phone listing a few drive-through options.
There’s always some risk of cross-contact in fast-food restaurants and some franchises use a common fryer for fries and breaded chicken nuggets or other gluten-containing items. Nonetheless, it can be handy to know how to minimize exposure rather than go without anything.
To get you started, here are some common fast-food possibilities to include in your list:
McDonald’s – While this restaurant may always be readily available, it’s not the easiest choice if you’re gluten-free. Apple slices and coffee are the safest selections. Some coffee drinks may be okay, but they contain natural flavors that are not identified and could contain gluten. Also worth noting, the fries here contain wheat.
SONIC – There are several wheat/gluten-free items at Sonic although none are certified gluten-free. You will need to order the meat options without a bun. Gluten-free breakfast can include eggs, bacon, shredded cheddar, ham, sausage crumbles, sausage patty, sirloin steak, coffee, cold brew flavored coffees, tea, apple juice, orange juice, milk, Powerade®, fruit punch, all lemonades, limeades, slushes, and any soda. For other meals, burger patty, Jr burger patty, and Halal burger patty, grilled chicken breast, all beef hot dog, footlong hot dog, Halal dog, and Philly sirloin steak are options. These can be topped with American cheese, pickles, relish, ranch dressing, light ranch, ketchup, mayo, mustard, spicy brown mustard, cheddar cheese sauce, grilled onions, sauerkraut, sport peppers, and pickle spears. Tater tots, fries, and cheese fries do not contain wheat or gluten, but are fried in a common fryer. For dessert, try applesauce, a dish of ice cream, a hot fudge, strawberry, or caramel sundae. Top with nuts or whipped topping for an additional treat. Many shakes and blasts are gluten-free including vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, caramel, hot fudge, and fresh banana classic shakes; SONIC Blast® with M&M® Minis, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Snicker’s® bar pieces. That’s quite a selection, all things considered! And kudos to the SONIC powers that be for organizing the information into an easy to read chart!
Wendy’s – If you’re in the mood for a salad, Wendy’s is an option. Consider a Parmesan Caesar, Apple Pecan, or Taco Salad. Croutons are packaged separately. A baked potato and chili can fill out the menu. French fries do not contain gluten ingredients but are fried in a communal fryer. You can also check out the baconator fries and chili cheese fries.
Subway® – With the addition of protein bowls, now known as No Bready Bowls®, Subway is an easy location to grab salad-heavy or protein-heavy gluten-free meals. Avoid all muffins, breads, wraps, and cookies as well as soups and pizza. Load up a protein bowl with any meat other than chicken with teriyaki or meatballs with marinara. Top with any vegetable option and add any cheese or condiment other than sweet onion teriyaki sauce. When you choose a salad rather than a bowl, all dressings are gluten-free. A big thanks to Subway for also creating an easy-to-follow chart!
In-N-Out – This may be the easiest burger place for the gluten-sensitive. Any burger can be ordered protein style (wrapped in lettuce rather than a bun). And the secret menu (items not on a published menu but known to staff and regularly provided to customers) includes 2 (beef patties) x 2 (pieces of cheese), 2 x 4, 1 x 2, 2 x 1 protein style, the flying Dutchman (2 beef patties surrounding 2 pieces of cheese), and a veggie burger (all of the burger toppings without the burger). No worries about fries being coated in something problematic. You can watch the potatoes being cut into fries and placed in the fryer. All the shakes are gluten free so order vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, black and white, or Neapolitan. I’ve had a couple of so-so meals at In-N-Out, but the ease of ordering has always been superior!
Once you’ve chosen a few readily available favorites and put them in your phone, be sure to review the websites periodically to make sure ingredients remain the same, then zoom-in and zoom-out with confidence when you’re in a hurry!
I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”