Over the years I’ve been testing various restaurants for hidden gluten. Most of these restaurants have a gluten-free menu of sorts, and I only order items that I deem to be “safe” upon inquiry. This article features the results of 20 restaurants I tested for hidden gluten and contains affiliate links. Please note my results may not be indicative of your results and you should always do your own due diligence before eating anything. Please read my disclosures and disclaimers.
I love eating out, but eating out safely when you can’t eat gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and sometimes oats, isn’t always to do.
Over the years, I’ve been using a device called the Nima Sensor, a portable gluten detecting device that enables me to test a small piece of my food for gluten before taking a bite.
When a waiter places a meal in front me, it’s impossible to know if it’s:
- The gluten-free dish I ordered? How do I know it wasn’t confused with another dish? A lot can go wrong between the time I ordered my food and it arrives at my table.
- Prepared only with gluten-free ingredients.
- Prepared in a way free from cross contamination (i.e. it did not come in contact with gluten cross contamination during the cooking/handling process).
The Nima Sensor would give me that extra layer of assurance in my meal because, as you know, you cannot tell if food is gluten free just by looking at it.
The Nima Sensor has helped me many times over from being accidentally glutened. When I’m accidentally glutened, I feel horrible in the hours and days post-glutening. I’ll do everything in my power to avoid accidentally eating gluten.
How the Nima Sensor Works
It’s really easy to use a Nima Sensor. You simply put a small amount of your food into one of your Nima Sensor gluten test capsules, then put the test capsule inside your Nima Sensor.
Press the start button and then the Nima Sensor will make funny noises. In about 2-3 minutes, your Nima Sensor will display either a “Found Gluten” message, or it’ll display a smiley face indicating it did not find any gluten in the piece of food tested. I love when Nima smiles at me.
What You Need to Know About My Tests
Before I share the results, please note:
- These are my personal results and may not be indicative of the results you get when you test dishes at these same restaurants or at different locations. Menus vary, as do preparation methods. Some restaurants have processes in place to eliminate the risk of cross contamination (like Red Robin), while other restaurants have methods that are spotty (like Cheesecake Factory), at best.
- I only order dishes that I’m assured will be safe for me to eat. If the risk of cross contamination is high (like that in a pizza place), I don’t order the pizza and instead order items such as grilled fish or tacos. If a waiter says the gluten-free pasta is cooked in shared pasta water, I will never order it, nor will I order anything cooked in a shared deep fryer.
- I always tell my server that I cannot eat gluten and that I’m serious about being gluten free. When I use strong, assertive language, I feel like my server takes my order much more seriously.
- I ask lots of questions to ensure my food is prepared right. The Nima Sensor is not a substitute for asking good questions or lazy ordering. You can read what critics have said about the device in this article. Bottom line is they think gluten-free people are lazy and stupid and won’t be able to properly use the device. Let’s prove them wrong.
- I always tell my server have a nifty device that allows me to test my dish for gluten. Most will be excited by the challenge, and hopefully it will encourage them to do an extra good job when preparing my meal.
I hope the following list of 20 restaurants tested for gluten will give you a greater comfort in knowing that many restaurants can and will provide you with a safe, gluten-free meal.
Always keep your guard up when ordering, be cautious when eating out, and above all else, enjoy eating out and feeling normal. Don’t let anyone shame you for wanting to eat out.
Read my book, Dear Gluten, It’s Not Me, It’s You for more tips on eating out gluten free and living a full, gluten-free lifestyle.
20 Restaurants, 20 Gluten Tests
Here are the results you’ve been waiting for:
Restaurant: Bonefish Grill
Menu Items(s): Grilled rainbow trout + flourless chocolate brownie
Results: No gluten found in either item. I feel really good about eating here.
Read about my full experiences in this article, How to Eat Gluten-Free at the Bonefish Grill
Restaurant: California Pizza Kitchen
Menu Item(s): Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza + Cauliflower Crust Margherita Gluten-Free Pizza
Results: No gluten found in gluten-free pizza; gluten found in cauliflower crust pizza (restaurant says the cauliflower crust contains no gluten, however, the server failed to make sure the pizza was prepared in the dedicated gluten-free area). If you order gluten-free pizza, never veer from the standard menu (i.e. don’t add olives or any other toppings, it will render your pizza non-GF), and always look for the toothpick in the center indicating your pizza is indeed gluten-free.
Read my full results in this post, What’s Gluten-Free at California Pizza Kitchen
Restaurant: Caribou Coffee
Menu Item(s): Gluten-free breakfast sandwiches (2)
Results: No gluten found
I had a great experience here! Read the full results in my post, Caribou Coffee’s Gluten-Free Breakfast Sandwiches Get Tested.
Restaurant: Cheesecake Factory
Menu Item(s): Gluten-free Pasta + Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake
Results: Gluten found in pasta, cheesecake tested okay
I’m uncertain if the Cheesecake Factory really understands gluten-free, but I was able to figure out a way to get a safe meal (just don’t eat the pasta). Read my full results in this article, What’s Gluten-Free at the Cheesecake Factory?
Restaurant: Chick-Fil-A
Menu Item(s): Grilled Nuggets + Chicken Sandwich (with GF bun) + waffle fries
Results: No gluten found
Chick-fil-a seems to really understand gluten-free. Read my full results at How to Eat Gluten-Free at Chick-fil-a – #NimaTested
Restaurant: Chili’s
Menu Item(s): Chicken Fajitas with corn tortillas + Mexican Chicken Bowl
Results: No gluten found in fajitas, gluten found in bowl
Love Chili’s but you have to order right. Not everything tested GF. Read my full post titled, Can You Eat Gluten-Free at Chili’s.
Restaurant: Chipotle
Menu Item(s): Chicken, rice, black bean bowl + queso
Results: No gluten found in bowl; gluten found in queso (queso is gluten-free, however it is likely it contained gluten from cross contact).
Chipotle is a go-to place for me. Read my full results in this post, See What Happened When I Nima Tested Chipotle.
Restaurant: Dunkin’ Donuts
Menu Item(s): Gluten-free brownie
Results: No gluten found
Restaurant: Five Guys
Menu Item(s): Lettuce wrapped burger + fries
Results: No gluten found
Love Five Guys – always get a safe meal here. (Avoid if you have a peanut allergy.) Read more about what’s gluten-free at Five Guys in this post, Five Guys Gluten-Free Menu is Delicious.
Restaurant: Honest Burger (UK)
Menu Item(s): Burger + Fries + Onion Rings + Chicken Burger
Results: No gluten found in everything except the chicken burger got a “gluten found” message twice.
Restaurant: Jersey Mike’s
Menu Item(s): Gluten-free hot submarine sandwich
Results: No gluten found
Jersey Mike’s does a lot to mitigate your risk of getting glutened. You can read more about the Jersey Mike’s gluten-free practices at What’s on Jersey Mike’s Gluten-Free Menu?
Restaurant: Noodles & Company
Menu Item(s): Gluten-free fusilli noodles + zucchini noodles + chicken (always order chicken baked, not fried)
Results: No gluten-found
Love Noodles & Co, but you must order right to get a safe meal. Learn more about Eating Gluten-Free at Noodles & Company.
Restaurant: The Olive Garden
Menu Item(s): Gluten-free pasta + salad + gluten-free grilled chicken parmesan
Results: Gluten found in chicken parmesan, no gluten found in pasta or salad
The Olive Garden is not a restaurant I feel good about. Read more about my confusing experience at the Olive Garden in this post, What’s Gluten-Free at the Olive Garden?
Restaurant: The Original Pancake House
Menu Item(s): Gluten-free pancakes
Results: No gluten found
Please read my full article, What’s Gluten-Free at the Original Pancake House, and mind my important ordering tips because cross contamination is possible if you’re not communicating with staff in a serious tone.
Restaurant: Panera
Menu Item(s): Turkey Chili + Tomato Soup (order with NO bread)
Results: No gluten found
I’m not a fan of eating at Panera, since gluten is everywhere. However, if you get a soup, you might just come out okay. Read more about what’s gluten-free at Panera in this post, Is the Panera Gluten-Free Menu Really Gluten-Free?
Restaurant: Pei Wei
Menu Item(s): Gluten-free spicy chicken + rice
Results: No gluten found
Pei Wei is a favorite fast-casual restaurant in my household. Love the gluten-free kung pao chicken and expanded gluten-free offerings as of 2018. All soy sauce used at Pei Wei is gluten-free. Read my full article, Eat Gluten-Free at Pei Wei.
Restaurant: Pizza Hut
Menu Item(s): Gluten-free cheese pizza
Results: No gluten found
Not all Pizza Huts are okay, but I found one that carried certified gluten-free pizzas. Read my post, What’s Gluten-Free at Pizza Hut?
Restaurant: Red Robin
Menu Item(s): Impossible Burger + Fries (ask for allergy fries prepared in dedicated fryer)
Results: No gluten found
Red Robin handles gluten issues AMAZINGLY! You are in good hands here. Read my full post, Get to Know What’s Gluten-Free at Red Robin.
Restaurant: Sonic Drive-In
Menu Item(s): Tater tots and french fries
Results: Everything tested just fine. I have since learned that NOT all Sonic’s have dedicated gluten-free fryers. Always inquire within and test your food before eating it. I was not impressed with the sad bunless burger though. Read more about What’s Gluten-Free at Sonic.
Restaurant: Wendy’s
Menu Item(s): Chili Cheese Potato + Chocolate Frosty
Results: No gluten found
Not my favorite place to eat, but in a pinch, you can get a GF meal here. Read my post, Nima Testing Wendy’s Gluten-Free Menu.
Like Eating Out?
Do you like to eat out? I do. I don’t let my disability get in the way of my social life.
That said, I know eating out while on the gluten-free diet can be fraught with anxiety and distress. It’s what inspired me to write my ebook, The Ultimate Guide to Eating Out Gluten Free, to help you overcome such anxiety.
Let me know if you’ve tested other restaurants and how they fared in the comments below.
It’s $9.99. The link is correct. My sincere apologies for the confusion. Thank you for catching that mistake
The above link to your E-book says it’s “only $2.99” but at the link, the price listed is $9.99. Am I missing something?
Isn’t the study you mentioned a Nima Sensor study? Yes it only tests a small portion of your food. It is ONE tool in your toolkit. Please read any of my articles and you’ll see how I work tirelessly to help people eat out safely. To only rely on the Nima is ridiculous and only one data point in deciding if your meal is safe. Cheers to safe eating!
Isn’t that sensor only testing one small part of what you actually eat? If so, that is definitely not a reliable source. Don’t risk your health by taking such a gamble. The study you did is completely misleading. A recent study by the Celiac Disease Foundation proved that 33% or restaurant items labeled “gluten-free” contained gluten! If you have Celiac Disease, remember that a crumb will damage your body. If you have Celiac Disease, do not eat restaurant food unless it has a dedicated gluten-free kitchen.
Thank you so much! I had no idea Jersey Mike’s has gf options!!! Whoooooo
You’re welcome!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing, I love my Nima meter.
Thanks Jim! Nima is quite accurate. You can see the data here- https://nimasensor.com/2018/09/07/gfwdresponse/
Watch for false positives- still better than false negatives! https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/whats-to-blame-for-possible-false-positive-low-gluten-test-results-using-the-nima/