Restaurant Correspondence – Gluten Free Finds

Chik-fil-A was one of my pre Celiac diagnosis favorite fast food restaurants. Maybe my all time favorite. I mourned the loss of being able to eat freely at CFA after being diagnosed.

After diagnosis, I was happy to learn that I had at least a couple options at Chik-fil-A including the waffle fries, grilled nuggets and a few sides. Recently, looking around Chick-fil-A’s website, I noticed a few changes.

1. Chick-fil-A no longer officially mentions which menu items contain gluten. Their allergen matrix (linked below) lists only wheat, not specifically gluten.

2. When I emailed Chick-fil-A about a list of gluten free menu items, I received the following response…

Because food allergies or intolerances can be very serious or even life threatening, Chick-fil-A believes equipping customers with ingredient information is the best way we can help. You and your physician can then make an informed decision whether any particular menu item is safe for your particular allergy or intolerance. Again, we encourage you to read through the ingredient statements we provide so you can make an informed decision. Ingredient and allergen information can be found at www.chick-fil-a.com.

Well… not so much as gluten isn’t listed in the allergen matrix. Maybe a case of a hastily sent canned response, but still, not real helpful.

3. This page… http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Food/Allergen-Gluten-Diabetic – which once contained gluten specific information is gone. It redirects to an unrelated page.

4. A list of gluten free menu items, dated March 20,2014 is still available. I received a copy when I asked customer service a second time. Compare verbiage on that with previous information…

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Here is a screenshot of the top portion of the 2014 document. In part it reads “Please note that we do not have a gluten free prep area in our kitchens” compare to a previous version…

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Here is a screenshot of the top part of this page (http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Food/Allergen-Gluten-Diabetic) – now removed for CFA’s site – from 2013. In part it says… “While we don’t have a gluten free prep area for these items, our procedures have been written to avoid cross contamination”

The more recent statement says nothing about procedures to avoid cross contamination.

5. As of this posting, a search for the term gluten on Chick-fil-A’s site yields three results – one talks about Chick-fil-A’s grilled entree lineup, another talks about kid’s meals and the final talks about organic juice boxes.

Instead of getting better at gluten free, in my opinion, Chick-fil-A seems to be getting worse. Considering their relatively simple menu and their focus on customer service, this is a big disappointment to me.

I know some people with gluten related conditions rely on CFA especially when traveling.

Chick-fil-A… Please work to make your gluten free offerings, procedures and communications better.

Update: Chick-fil-A: New Gluten Free Bun + What’s Gluten Free at Chick-fil-A

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img_img_culvers

Prior to being diagnosed with Celiac Disease Culver’s was a favorite spot when we were hungry for a burger. Culver’s is a Midwest Chain, but is quickly growing beyond the Midwest – Culver’s Website – locations

I knew that Culvers had a gluten free bun (I believe it’s Udi’s). That is available for $1 more. I ate there early on (prior to being officially diagnosed) when I was trying to eliminate gluten – without really knowing how pervasive the stuff is. The bun was served to me in a separate wrapped package. All in all it was a pretty tasty bun.

I was interested to know what cross contamination procedures, if any Culver’s has. So, I used the customer contact from to ask.

A challenge to Culvers… After reading their response, my biggest concern is with the toppings. They do say they are held in separate containers to limit cross contact, but I read that to mean cross contact with other ingredients, not necessarily gluten. I call upon Culver’s to implement an allergy protocol that includes equipment and training to serve a safe meal to gluten intolerant people. There’s no reason why select toppings couldn’t be obtained from untainted stores. That combined with washing hands and changing aprons would go a very long way. I invite Culver’s to rethink this for the good of millions of Americans who have issues with gluten. I would be happy to be the first one to spread the word after it’s implemented.

Note: This is their response to me personally and does not (as far as I know) constitute an official company position on the matter. You should talk to Culver’s directly for up to the minute information. You should also verify ingredients and procedures with each restaurant prior to consuming. Policies, procedures, menu offerings and ingredients change over time.

Response dated 5/18/16:

Thank you for taking time to contact Culver’s. Attached is a Gluten Guide which identifies menu items that do not contain gluten. Condiments including pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, onion and cheese are held in a separate container to limit cross-contact with other condiments; ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise will be provided in packets. Individuals preparing a gluten friendly meal must wash their hands prior to handling any ingredients and the bun is served in a sealed package for you to assemble your sandwich. None of our restaurants have a dedicated fryer for the Crinkle Cut Fries. We recommend guests concerned about cross-contact avoid the fries.

Food safety is a top priority in our restaurants. Similar to other restaurants, we are not allergen-free environments and there is a potential for cross-contact in our kitchens from normal preparation and cooking procedures. We ask that you inform the cashier of your food allergy or special dietary need when ordering so we can take extra special care when preparing your meal.

We hope this helps!

Best,

Sarah

More info – Culver’s Allergen Grid | Culver’s Mindful Choices Around Gluten

Always check ingredients to confirm gluten free status. If in doubt, contact the manufacturer with questions.

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Category: Restaurant Correspondence

Chick-fil-A – A Step Backwards When It Comes to Gluten Free

Restaurant Correspondence: Culver’s