I have to admit, burgers and fries are two of my biggest weaknesses. After getting diagnosed with celiac disease, I discovered that I had to give up these delicious foods at most restaurants to safely follow a gluten free diet. Burger buns were completely off the table, and even fries were no longer safe for me to eat. Many restaurants fry their french fries in the same oil that they use for breaded foods, saturating the fries in gluten.
And then I discovered Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Five Guys is not only delicious, but it’s a safe place to eat if you’re following a gluten free diet. The entire Five Guys menu is gluten free, except for these items:
- Burger Bun
- Cherry, malted milk, and Oreo cookie mix-ins for their milkshakes
- Fry sauce (only in UT)
- Malt vinegar
Also, they have unlimited free peanuts! If you have a peanut allergy, I would stay away, since there’s peanut shells all over the place.
Gluten free burger options
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How can you order a burger, then? Unfortunately, Five Guys currently doesn’t offer a gluten free burger bun. However, you can ask for it lettuce wrapped. That’s right, you can get any burger you want wrapped in a bunch of lettuce. It’s still tasty, and you’re also cutting a bunch of carbs and calories out of your meal by skipping the bread.
Gluten free fries
As for the fries, you’re also in luck if you’re gluten free. The fries are cooked in 100% peanut oil, and the fryers aren’t shared with any other food, so you don’t have to worry about any cross-contamination issues there.
Let me just praise Five Guys fries for a second. They are amazing. Seriously, though, those things are dangerous. So thick and salty! They give you huge portions of fries, too. If you get the large fry, bring a few people to back you up. You’re probably going to need a few more stomachs to help you finish them. They’re made fresh every day right at the restaurant. The restaurant is usually filled with bags of potatoes that will eventually be cut up and fried, and you can even see where the potatoes came from.
So how safe is Five Guys?
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From what I’ve seen, Five Guys is generally very safe for people with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity. Since the only items in the restaurant that really have a chance of contaminating your burger and fries are the burger buns, you shouldn’t worry. However, make sure you let them know you have a gluten allergy when you order. It never hurts to have them change gloves and ensure your burger doesn’t touch anything it shouldn’t.
I did some research for what others were saying about their gluten free experience at Five Guys, and here’s what I found:
- Find Me Gluten Free has an average 4.5 star rating for Five Guys, with most of the reviews being very positive. Most people have a lot of trust in the restaurant to keep them safe from any gluten cross-contamination. A lot of the reviews mention that the staff changed gloves when making their gluten free burgers, as well. There are a few reviews that aren’t so good, saying how the employees didn’t handle their food safely, but overall the reviews are great.
- One restaurant has even been tested with the Nima Sensor, which tests for gluten in food. The test result said the food was gluten free.
For more information, check out the Five Guys menu and their Nutrition & Allergen Information.
Be sure to check out The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten Free Diet, and the Gluten Free Diet Blog for more. As always, feel free to share and leave a comment below!
Nigel Gildon editor:Nigel Gildon is the editor of Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou: Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou. He has worked in the publishing industry for many years and has a passion for helping new authors get their work into the hands of readers. 63 Liberty Street * Springfield, MA 01003
