Which Fast Food Chains Have Gluten-Free Fries?

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When you follow a gluten-free diet, there are certain foods you know are likely safe to eat: salads (minus the croutons), flourless chocolate tortes, and baked potatoes, to name a few. French fries are a dish that might seem like they’re free of gluten, but that’s not always the case. You can get gluten-free fries at In-N-Out. Both the regular and Cajun-style fries at Five Guys are also gluten-free — just don’t douse them in malt vinegar.

Most fast food chains, however, are a no-go. McDonald’s fries are not gluten-free because they’re made with a beef flavoring that contains wheat. Additionally, you can’t eat Taco Bell’s Nacho Fries if you’re gluten-free because of their flour coating. Arby’s crinkle fries and curly fries both contain wheat, as do Popeyes Cajun fries. The waffle fries and hash rounds at Carl Jr.’s also contain wheat, and while the natural-cut fries don’t, there is still cross-contact. Neither the fries nor potato wedges at KFC are wheat-free. While Burger King fries are technically gluten-free in that they don’t contain any wheat ingredients, they’re fried in the same oil as breaded products. Shake Shack and Wendy’s french fries are not gluten-free for the same reason. Chick-fil-A cannot guarantee any food item is gluten-free because of potential cross-contamination, so those waffle fries are a risk even though they’re wheat-free. To be sure, go with a bag of waffle potato chips instead.

Potatoes are gluten-free, but a lot of fries aren’t

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While In-N-Out and Five Guys are among the fast food restaurants with the best gluten-free options, they’re not located everywhere. So if you live a gluten-free lifestyle — whether you have celiac disease or avoid gluten for other reasons  — you’ll have to try non-fast food options. No matter where you end up, always tell the staff about your dietary needs so they can inform you of potential risks and take any necessary precautions.

Don’t make assumptions, either. Julienned potatoes are just potatoes, so they’re obviously gluten-free on the cutting board, but risk lies in both preparation and execution. Even at non-fast food restaurants, french fries can be coated in flour before frying for extra crunch or finished with a seasoning blend that contains gluten. They could also be fried in the same oil as breaded foods like mozzarella sticks and chicken fingers, leading to cross-contamination.

There are people for whom cross-contamination is okay, but that’s not true for everyone who is gluten-free. For some people, it may take three months to two years for their body to heal from gluten exposure, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. It’s important to be vigilant and support those in your life who need to avoid gluten. When in doubt at a restaurant, just ask. If the answer you get doesn’t feel right or satisfying, don’t hesitate to speak to management or contact the corporate office. That’s why they’re there.