I tried to eat at my local McDonald's as someone with celiac disease. It did not go well.

Bianca GiacoboneMay 7, 2023, 16:55 IST

McDonald’s is one of the US’ largest chain restaurants, with over 13,000 locations across the country.Bianca Giacobone/Insider

I recently tried to eat at McDonald's as a person with celiac disease.
McDonald's doesn't claim any of its food as gluten-free so I was very limited in what I could order.

I tried to do what 85% of Americans do at least once a year: eat at a McDonald's restaurant.

That in itself isn't hard. McDonald's is one of the largest chain restaurants in the US, with over 13,000 locations across the country.

The problem is: I have celiac disease.

The disease has no cure and I have to eat a fully gluten-free diet — no cross-contamination, not even a crumb of bread — which means that ever since I was diagnosed over 10 years ago, I've been that annoying customer pestering the waiting staff to know whether the fries are cooked in a shared fryer or not.

Eating out with celiac is not easy, but restaurant chains often provide a safe haven, given their strict food preparation protocols and allergen lists stamped everywhere. In Italy, for example, McDonald's sells an uninspiring but safe gluten-free burger that is cooked wrapped in plastic to avoid cross-contamination.

I went to my local McDonald's in Brooklyn to find out what gluten-free options the chain offers in the US.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

McDonald's US menu does not have any items that are certified gluten-free, and the company warns customers about cross-contamination risks on its website, so I'm doing this at my own risk.

McDonald's

McDonald's US menu does not have any items that are certified gluten-free, and the company warns customers about cross-contamination risks on its website, so I'm doing this at my own risk.

The restaurant chain has been rolling out self-service kiosks since 2015. As someone with celiac disease, I have mixed feelings about ordering at kiosks.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

While they often offer detailed information about allergens that cashiers might not know, it's hard to stress through a machine how important it is for me to avoid any cross-contamination with gluten.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

While they often offer detailed information about allergens that cashiers might not know, it's hard to stress through a machine how important it is for me to avoid any cross-contamination with gluten.

The kiosk menu gives customers the option to check out the nutritional value and ingredients of what they want to order.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

But the list of ingredients does not include any information about allergens. It says a Big Mac has a bun, but it doesn't give any warning about it containing gluten or wheat.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

But the list of ingredients does not include any information about allergens. It says a Big Mac has a bun, but it doesn't give any warning about it containing gluten or wheat.

The cashier, on the other hand, might know which McDonald's dishes have gluten in them — spoiler alert, most of them — or have an allergen list for me to check.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

The cashier, on the other hand, might know which McDonald's dishes have gluten in them — spoiler alert, most of them — or have an allergen list for me to check.

A colorful collage of warnings next to the cashier's station alerts customers about the risks of added sugar, salt, and various allergens.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

The cashier doesn't have an allergen list handy, but they suggest I check on McDonald's website before I order anything.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

The menu on McDonald's website has detailed allergen information. While the kiosk only told me a Big Mac comes with a bun, lettuce, sauce, and so on, the website lists many ingredients and warns that the bun contains wheat and sesame. Gluten is in all types of wheat.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

The menu on McDonald's website has detailed allergen information. While the kiosk only told me a Big Mac comes with a bun, lettuce, sauce, and so on, the website lists many ingredients and warns that the bun contains wheat and sesame. Gluten is in all types of wheat.

Since the Big Mac has gluten all over the place, I check the other items on the menu to see if there's something I can eat.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

I was surprised to learn that even the fries have gluten. While in places like the UK, McDonald's fries are considered gluten-free and cooked in a dedicated fryer, US fries have natural beef flavoring, which has wheat in it.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

I was surprised to learn that even the fries have gluten. While in places like the UK, McDonald's fries are considered gluten-free and cooked in a dedicated fryer, US fries have natural beef flavoring, which has wheat in it.

On a more positive note, the vanilla soft-serve ice cream does not have any gluten in it.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

But it's not available. I wonder if the ice cream machine is down.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

After carefully studying the menu on the website, I figure out I can have all the drinks, some of the sauces, and apple slices.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

So I order a small coke, apple slices, and ketchup.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

According to McDonald's US website, I could also have the fruit and maple oatmeal from the breakfast menu, but it's not available at my location, probably because McDonald's stops serving breakfast in the morning.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

According to McDonald's US website, I could also have the fruit and maple oatmeal from the breakfast menu, but it's not available at my location, probably because McDonald's stops serving breakfast in the morning.

My order, packed in a brown paper bag, looks pretty weird. I ordered the Coke to represent the drinks category, and ketchup for sauces.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

Other gluten-free sauces I could have ordered include spicy buffalo, creamy ranch, and mustard, but no barbecue or sweet and sour.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

Sauces and drinks aside, the only food I can actually eat is the apple slices, which come wrapped in plastic, so they're probably not at risk of cross-contamination.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

Overall, McDonald's in the US is not a place for people with celiac disease, which is unfortunate given how accessible the restaurants are. McDonald's did not respond to a request for comment on if it has any plans to make the restaurants more friendly to those who cannot eat gluten.

Bianca Giacobone/Insider

Overall, McDonald's in the US is not a place for people with celiac disease, which is unfortunate given how accessible the restaurants are. McDonald's did not respond to a request for comment on if it has any plans to make the restaurants more friendly to those who cannot eat gluten.

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I tried to eat at my local McDonald's as someone with celiac disease. It did not go well.

I went to my local McDonald's in Brooklyn to find out what gluten-free options the chain offers in the US.

McDonald's US menu does not have any items that are certified gluten-free, and the company warns customers about cross-contamination risks on its website, so I'm doing this at my own risk.

The restaurant chain has been rolling out self-service kiosks since 2015. As someone with celiac disease, I have mixed feelings about ordering at kiosks.

While they often offer detailed information about allergens that cashiers might not know, it's hard to stress through a machine how important it is for me to avoid any cross-contamination with gluten.

The kiosk menu gives customers the option to check out the nutritional value and ingredients of what they want to order.

But the list of ingredients does not include any information about allergens. It says a Big Mac has a bun, but it doesn't give any warning about it containing gluten or wheat.

The cashier, on the other hand, might know which McDonald's dishes have gluten in them — spoiler alert, most of them — or have an allergen list for me to check.

A colorful collage of warnings next to the cashier's station alerts customers about the risks of added sugar, salt, and various allergens.

The cashier doesn't have an allergen list handy, but they suggest I check on McDonald's website before I order anything.

The menu on McDonald's website has detailed allergen information. While the kiosk only told me a Big Mac comes with a bun, lettuce, sauce, and so on, the website lists many ingredients and warns that the bun contains wheat and sesame. Gluten is in all types of wheat.

Since the Big Mac has gluten all over the place, I check the other items on the menu to see if there's something I can eat.

I was surprised to learn that even the fries have gluten. While in places like the UK, McDonald's fries are considered gluten-free and cooked in a dedicated fryer, US fries have natural beef flavoring, which has wheat in it.

On a more positive note, the vanilla soft-serve ice cream does not have any gluten in it.

But it's not available. I wonder if the ice cream machine is down.

After carefully studying the menu on the website, I figure out I can have all the drinks, some of the sauces, and apple slices.

So I order a small coke, apple slices, and ketchup.

According to McDonald's US website, I could also have the fruit and maple oatmeal from the breakfast menu, but it's not available at my location, probably because McDonald's stops serving breakfast in the morning.

My order, packed in a brown paper bag, looks pretty weird. I ordered the Coke to represent the drinks category, and ketchup for sauces.

Other gluten-free sauces I could have ordered include spicy buffalo, creamy ranch, and mustard, but no barbecue or sweet and sour.

Sauces and drinks aside, the only food I can actually eat is the apple slices, which come wrapped in plastic, so they're probably not at risk of cross-contamination.

Overall, McDonald's in the US is not a place for people with celiac disease, which is unfortunate given how accessible the restaurants are. McDonald's did not respond to a request for comment on if it has any plans to make the restaurants more friendly to those who cannot eat gluten.