This is my first post about gluten in food and not beer. However, you may find it useful when you are sensitive to gluten. During my recent trip to Tenerife I visited a McDonald’s restaurant and at the door I saw already the well-known gluten-free symbol. The sign just says “pan sin gluten” which means something like “gluten-free bread (buns) available”.
For those who are not familiar with Europe and its territories Tenerife is an island in the Atlantic ocean belonging to Spain but having some sort of autonomy. I don’t know if the gluten-free burgers are also available in continental Spain but I guess so. And I hope McDonald’s will just test the acceptance of gluten-free stuff in Spain and then extend to other countries. Very smart, they would be pioneers in the fast food industry.
McDonald’s is also very clever not advertising their products gluten-free but just saying that gluten-free buns are available. Obviously it is almost impossible for McDonald’s to sell something really gluten-free as they use the same surfaces for their normal burgers and also the chips/french fries and chicken nuggets are made in the same fryer and oil which means the fries can be contaminated. However, for someone who is sensitive and can accept traces of gluten this is just fine. I ordered a McRoyal Deluxe meal including fries (I explained already I can handle traces of gluten without problems) and here are some pictures of the burger with gluten-free buns:
The buns are actually surprisingly strong and don’t fall apart when touching them. The taste is very neutral and generally OK but of course not like a normal wheat-containing bun. Anyway this is a fantastic opportunity and all you Celiacs or gluten-sensitive people out there should contact your local McDonald’s representatives asking for these buns with reference to this post and pictures. I’m lovin’ it 😉
Mandor
That’s great news. Do you happen to know if other burgers beside the ‘Royal Deluxe’ 🙂 are available with gf buns?
Steffen
It seems only for a few, at least for the most popular burger like the Quarter Pounder and Big Mac. I just checked out the Spanish McDonald’s site (mcdonalds.es) and under Productos/Sandwiches a few have this note: “Si eres celÃaco, ya puedes disfrutar de tu hamburguesa con pan sin glúten.”
Les Carter from Australia
I was in Cadiz on a cruise a month or so ago did not see the GF buns in Maccas there. No matter, in Australia when travelling I take a couple of gluten free bread rolls from home and when we call in at Maccas for a lunch I order the burger mit no bun, ask for it in a box with the salad with a knife and fork and produce my own GF bun from the plastic bag. No worries at all. Maccas is handy in Australia for a highway stop, toilets and a quick feed, often not much else around.
I have E mailed MacDonalds Australia re making GF Buns available, but got the reply, cross contamination etc, etc, usual rubbish.
Thanks Steffen.
Erik
In Sweden, Norway and Finland McDonalds offer GF buns, at least in Sweden I know they have for >10 years. Celiac disease is widespread in Sweden, the biggest population in % world wide.
In Sweden also Burger King offer GF buns, as in UK also Pizza Hut offers GF pizza base. Local burger joints and gourmet burgers restaurant offers bakery style “home made” GF burger bread in contrast to McD and BK’s more mass produced industrialized version.
Steffen
Hi Erik, uh I didn’t know that the Swedish population is so much affected by CD. Really interesting that GF buns in Sweden are alreay ‘standard’. And I haven’t had a Pizza Hut pizza in ages. So then I should also test Swedish beer, do you have any recommendation?
Cheers Steffen