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Lifestyle

What to Eat at Every Major Fast Food Chain If You’re Gluten-Free

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at UCF chapter.

More and more fast-food chains are meeting consumer demands for gluten-free menu options. And rightly so, because celiac disease shouldn’t prevent anyone from eating out and enjoying themselves. Whether you have a gluten allergy or have jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon for another reason, there are choices available for you at almost every major fast food chain in the nation.

Here’s a look at some of the most delicious gluten-free menu items they have to offer.

Subway: Spicy Italian Salad

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of nuttyabouthealth.com

Sadly, Subway hasn’t gotten around to offering gluten-free sandwich bread, but almost every salad they offer is free of gluten. You can be bougie as hell and call it a “deconstructed sub” if you like.

Wendy’s: Strawberry Fields Salad (without chicken)

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of www.brandeating.com

At Wendy’s, chicken is cut on the same cutting board as their sandwich bread and burger buns, so cross-contamination can occur. But if you order this salad sans chicken, you’re good to go. For a side, you can have any of their baked potatoes, and for dessert, a chocolate or vanilla Frosty—because you deserve both.

McDonald’s: Lettuce-Wrapped Cheeseburger

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of @maryboroughmcdonaldsqld on Instagram

Yes, it’s true—you can still get a Mickey D burger. Plus, all of the sundaes, shakes, frappes, and smoothies are also gluten-free!

Carl’s Jr.: The 1/2 lb. Low-Carb Guacamole Thickburger

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of @vero_11pf_ on Instagram

Also available as 1/3 lb, this lettuce-wrapped burger is anything but bland. At Carl’s Jr., gluten-free does not mean you have to settle for less.

Chipotle: Burrito Bowl

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of www.recipehubs.com

Basically, as long as you don’t have a flour tortilla, it’s all good. Chipotle is perhaps the best place to go if you can’t have gluten because you can still have everything a burrito order would have otherwise, just in a bowl instead.

Arby’s: Chopped Farmhouse Salad

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of @arby’s on Instagram

Unfortunately, this salad is the only completely gluten-free meal on the menu, but you can make up for it by having any one of their delicious milkshakes for dessert.

Jack in the Box: Chicken Club Salad

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of www.yelp.com

As long as you choose grilled rather than crispy chicken, you’re all set.

Dairy Queen: (Almost) Everything

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of @dairyqueen on Instagram

Unless you like your burgers and hot dogs bun-less, you’ll be out of luck at Dairy Queen. But almost all sundaes (in cups), novelties, Blizzards, and shakes are safe, and that’s probably all you really care about anyway.

Five Guys: Lettuce-Wrapped Burger and Fries

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of www.phoenixnewtimes.com

Finally, a place where you can finally say yes to fries. Five Guys has a reputation for being a particularly gluten-free friendly establishment, with the only gluten-containing item on their menu being their buns.

In-N-Out: Lettuce-Wrapped Burger, Fries and a Shake

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of www.celiaccommunity.org

Add In-N-Out to your list of awesome fast-food joints because they also have completely gluten-free fries. You can have an entire meal there—sans a burger bun—without any worries.

Shake Shack: Bun-less Ham or Cheeseburger

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of secretmenus.com

To be completely safe, skip the fries at Shake Shack and choose any burger (besides the ‘Shroom burger) without a bun.

Starbucks: Gluten-Free Marshmallow Dream Bar

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of @araignee.du.soir on Instgram

Besides plain coffee, there aren’t many menu items at Starbucks that are absolutely gluten-free. If you’re looking to get a baked good, the marshmallow bar is your safest bet.

Pizza Hut: Gluten-Free Pizza

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of www.glutenfreeliving.com

With Udi’s gluten-free pizza crust, you can even create your own pizza. But be forewarned: the only toppings that are certified gluten-free are cheese, pepperoni, and marinara sauce.

Steak n’ Shake: (Almost) All Shakes

gluten-free fast food

Photo courtesy of @steaknshake on Instagram

Stick with the shakes and ditch the steaks. You can order anything except the peanut butter and s’mores flavors, which, sadly, contain gluten.