Eating Gluten-Free? You May Want To Avoid Texas Roadhouse

For as great as Texas Roadhouse is, America's top casual dining chain is not without its faults. Chief among these has to do with the chain's difficulty accommodating to allergies, specifically as far as gluten is concerned. While Texas Roadhouse does have some gluten-friendly dishes, the chain's commitment to making as much of its food as possible from scratch means that cross-contamination between gluten foods and non-gluten foods is practically unavoidable. For this reason, the restaurant refrains from advertising anything as outright "gluten-free" to account for trace amounts of gluten that may end up in any given meal at the restaurant.

This potential cross-contamination could have a significant impact or a minor one, depending on the severity of your gluten intolerance. Every individual's relationship with gluten is different, and for some, the trace amounts of gluten within gluten-friendly items at Texas Roadhouse are negligible and shouldn't impact their health too much. However, for those with celiac disease or who are especially sensitive to gluten, it's likely better to be as cautious as possible and avoid the restaurant entirely.

So, for those on gluten-free diets who are willing to give Texas Roadhouse a shot, it's important to know how to keep yourself as safe as possible when you do. For starters, expressing your allergy or intolerance to your server should give you access specifically to the gluten-friendly menu that the restaurant has to offer. Luckily, every type of Texas Roadhouse's signature hand-cut steaks (except for the Prime Rib) is available to order gluten-free, although you should still likely avoid the 8-ounce New York Strip regardless of whether you're on a gluten-free diet or not. Alternatively, you can get a bun-less burger, crouton-free salads, or one of a few gluten-free sides to enjoy at the restaurant chain.

While these options make it much more realistic for people with mild gluten intolerances to visit Texas Roadhouse, some online have expressed the fact that glaring mistakes have occurred in the past that have led to them inexplicably consuming gluten. Notably, consumers have noted that they have found croutons within their crouton-free salads or have had an appetizer that was accidentally topped with a seasoning containing wheat. For these reasons, some have found it difficult to recommend visiting Texas Roadhouse to others, regardless of their level of gluten intolerance.