Looking For Gluten-Free Fries? Try These 5 Fast Food Chains

It's no secret that choosing a fast food restaurant can be challenging for people who have celiac disease. While at least a handful of fast food chains serve gluten-free breakfast items — Starbucks, for instance — gluten cross-contact becomes a concern for menu items like french fries. Case in point: Burger King fries can't be considered gluten-free even though they don't contain gluten ingredients because they may be cooked in oil that's also used to make gluten-containing foods. That's why Daily Meal has investigated which fast food chains serve gluten-free fries.

Most restaurants didn't make this list because they don't use dedicated fryers as a standard practice, but some individual locations and small local chains cook only fries in at least one fryer; you just have to ask if they do. Among the major chains found to be safe for people with celiac are In-N-Out Burger, Five Guys, and Chick-fil-A. For the most part, these restaurants use dedicated fryers to cook their sliced potatoes, but it's important to be aware of a few caveats. Meanwhile, two smaller chains — Lion's Choice and Hat Creek Burger Company — offer fantastic options that are 100% gluten-free in their regions.

Since opening in 1948 with the first modern drive-through with two-way speakers, In-N-Out Burger has hardly changed its menu. The french fries are still peeled and diced from fresh whole potatoes by hand daily and made-to-order in 100% sunflower oil at every location.

When editorial director Kristin Myers at The Blast visited an In-N-Out Burger location in San Diego, the employee she spoke to explained that the restaurant's fries are naturally gluten-free and the only thing that goes into the fryer. On top of that, she learned that the kitchen staff will go the extra mile for gluten-sensitive customers by changing their gloves before preparing the order and cooking the onions on a separate grill from the burger buns.

However, you should be aware of the caveats: You have to let the staff know when you place your order, and it may take longer for your meal to be prepared and served. Plus, the chain can't completely guarantee a gluten-free experience since its menu also includes items that contain gluten.

Five Guys has been a popular fast food joint in Washington, DC, since 1986, and it has expanded to more than 1,700 stores across the country and world. One of the surprising facts you might not know about Five Guys is that it has a strict process for making french fries.

Every day, the potatoes are washed whole, sliced, and then bathed to clean excess fat, starch, and other debris before being stored in water-filled buckets. Next, the sliced potatoes are precooked for two minutes and then put into the regular fryer for a final cook — in 100% peanut oil both times — before being shaken 15 times to remove excess oil. That's why Five Guys fries have the perfect texture.

In an interview with Food Republic, Chad Murrell, the son of Five Guys' founder, Jerry Murrell, stated, "Since fries are all we cook in it, nothing touches our oil except for potatoes and our fry baskets." Some diners warn, though, that there's still a chance of cross-contact if surfaces aren't properly wiped down and gloves aren't changed after handling gluten-containing ingredients. It's recommended that you ask the staff to take precautions when ordering, and you can even watch them prepare your meal to make sure they do.

A favorite spot among fast food diners for many years, Chick-fil-A has been going strong since its first location opened in 1967 in Atlanta, Georgia. To make sure that it has options on its menu for a variety of dietary needs, Chick-fil-A has several gluten-free friendly foods, including pre-packed gluten-free buns and waffle potato chips. The waffle fries are inherently gluten-free from an ingredient standpoint, too, and they are cooked in canola oil. But, the big question is whether they're cooked in a fryer separate from the breaded, gluten-containing items on the menu.

The restaurant's website doesn't specify that it uses dedicated fryers, but the pages for its breaded chicken nuggets and sandwich filets indicate that Chick-fil-A uses peanut oil for frying these items. This suggests that the waffle fries are the only thing cooked in the fryers with canola oil. However, there's always a chance of cross-contact. The chain warns that it can't 100% guarantee that the fries (and other menu items like the grilled chicken) are completely free of the allergen because of the shared prep and cooking areas, the handcrafted nature of its food, and variations in supplier ingredients.

Additionally, some gluten-sensitive diners have commented on social media about getting sick after eating the fries because not all locations use dedicated fryers and prep other foods in the same area. To be safe, it's recommended that you call ahead or ask when ordering whether the fries are safe for you to eat. Also, let the staff know you have an allergy so they will change their gloves before making your meal.

With a name that references having the best of something, Lion's Choice is a small Missouri-based fast food chain established in 1969 and concentrated around Greater St. Louis. The restaurant is known for its roast beef sandwich, which has been made with the same recipe since 1967, and its frozen custard and fries. Among fast food diners who are sensitive to gluten, though, it's known for having a slew of gluten-free menu options.

Alongside chicken tenders made with rice flour and individually wrapped gluten-free buns, Lion's Choice serves natural-cut fries cooked in a dedicated fryer. The chain uses a three-step process that involves brining, blanching, and flash frying the 100% Idaho potatoes. Want to add some flavor to your side dish? The restaurant has gluten-free cheddar cheese and chili to put on top, or choose from the chipotle bacon cheddar and chili cheese trashed fry options on the menu. Avoid the Italian beef trashed fries, though, because the gravy contains gluten, and keep in mind that the restaurant doesn't operate fully gluten-free kitchens, so there's a chance of cross-contact.

Based in Texas, Hat Creek Burger company started out as a food truck in 2008 and has opened brick-and-mortar locations in the Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston areas since 2011. The chain's commitment to high-quality ingredients has earned it a loyal following. Plus, many gluten-sensitive customers have openly praised the restaurant for its selection of gluten-free fried foods — from the chicken nuggets and filets to the fried pickles — which is more than the other restaurants on this list.

All of the sides and shareables are gluten-free at Hat Creek Burger Company, and you may be happy to learn that there are multiple fried potato options. Choose from french fries, tater tots, and their loaded varieties with cheddar cheese, bacon, and ranch dressing. Sweet potato fries are also an option, which the chain touts as a healthier alternative to the classic favorite. If the secret spice blend doesn't add enough flavor, you can dip your fries in any of the restaurant's dressings and sauces — they're all gluten-free, too. Just be aware that other items in the Hat Creek kitchens contain gluten, so let the staff know about your allergy so that they can minimize cross-contact by taking extra precautions.

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