TLDR at bottom.

When you see “Gluten Free” you likely think of a fad diet trend but if you’re ill fated enough to be diagnosed with celiac disease like me, that phrase is an absolute must. Taking for example your average day you wake up and eat breakfast cereal, waffles, pancakes etc. Go to work and maybe eat a sandwich and head home a few hours later. You’re hungry again and tired, you don’t want to cook so you stop at whatever your chain is to get food, or instead wait and order your favorite pizza. You don’t even need to think about it, the world is your oyster and every restaurant is at your disposal.

With celiac disease you don’t have those simple options. If you’re tired and don’t want prepare and then cook a full meal you either force yourself to cook while you’re exhausted, fill up on junk food/snacks, or sometimes just not eat at all and it’s sad a reality that there are those of us who have to feel this way. On top of that we have to religiously check ingredients and common manufacturing lines for products containing gluten to ensure what we eat is safe for us. Then we get to pricing, did you know that gluten free versions of non gluten free foods cost 2x-3x more than their non gluten free counterpart while also being a fraction of the portion? Which I’m sure you can imagine is extremely stressful at times and can leave people dissatisfied.

There is no easy options and I want help in changing that! When you look at pizza chain menus almost every one has a gluten free pizza option which sounds like fantastic news at first but then comes with a warning that due to shared topping lines/common work spaces & cross contamination with flour floating all around it is not safe for those with celiac disease. It renders this “gluten free” pizza inedible to those who actually need gluten free food. If these multi-billion dollar chains were to build dedicated gluten free versions of their restaurants it would completely eliminate the fear and danger not preparing our own food poses to us. This would lead to an increase in sales of gluten free options that are underutilized and no doubt sell less in non gluten free chains because of the cross contamination risk, but the market isn’t so small that it’s limited to celiacs’. While we are just 1% of the population both in the United States (estimated 2,000,000 diagnosed and more undiagnosed in the US alone) and globally, there are those with other conditions/autoimmune disorders, that medically require or suggest gluten free diets which speaks to the potential.

Everyone loves food, everyone loves the ease of access and convenience that fast food offers, some of us never had it and some of us had it taken away but if the avenue is rebuilt for us to have the food we love(d) then I don’t think I’m alone in saying I would be a regular patron of such establishments. The concept is very simple, just take whatever food chain and put “Gluten Free” or “GF” (to keep it short) in the forefront of the name it’s that simple. In grocery stores you can find gluten free sections/options all over the place often sold out which again speaks volumes to the potential this holds.

I miss going out to eat, the excitement of being able to eat socially without having to always be the cook, eat beforehand or the stigma of even being gluten free. I can recall buying frozen gluten free pizza and being mocked by a couple for it. I know that if it’s happened to me unprovoked simply grabbing pizza from the aisle then going about my business; it has certainly happened to others and it’s sickening to be mocked for having a medically required diet.

I’m hoping this reaches high places because it’s difficult to cope with at times and I certainly believe this could be a win win situation.

As a recap: there is a a large demographic that medically need 100% gluten free options without the risk of cross contamination so we’d like large chains to build locations that serve dedicated gluten free versions of their menu so those who have that requirement can safely eat the foods we love or once loved from our favorite places or finally try the restaurant safely through their gluten free adaptations in a safe, sterile (fully gluten free) environment.