McDonald’s and Wendy’s: Help Families Access Affordable, Celiac-Safe Meals

For a family managing celiac disease, a quick meal can require advance research, questions about ingredients, and careful planning around how food is prepared. During a road trip, between appointments, or after a long day, finding somewhere everyone can eat together should be easier.

We are asking McDonald’s USA and Wendy’s to develop and pilot affordable meal options suitable for people with celiac disease, including children, with verified procedures to prevent gluten cross-contact.

Millions of people have a medical need.

Federal sources estimate that approximately 2–3 million Americans have celiac disease, including people who remain undiagnosed. Eating gluten triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine. A gluten-free diet is essential treatment. (niddk.nih.gov​, fda.gov​, niddk.nih.gov)

Research documents rising diagnoses over recent decades and continuing delays in recognizing the disease. As more people receive answers, more families need dependable options outside the home. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov​, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

There is already a model within McDonald’s.

McDonald’s Spain advertises gluten-free buns for selected burgers, gluten-free Happy Meal options, and fries prepared in dedicated fryers. American families deserve a serious effort to determine how comparable options could work here. (mcdonalds.es)

Safe preparation matters as much as ingredients.

A gluten-free bun alone does not make a meal suitable for someone with celiac disease. Gluten can transfer through shared utensils, preparation surfaces, and cooking equipment. A credible program needs trained staff and consistent, verified procedures. (niddk.nih.gov)

Welcoming one customer can help welcome an entire family.

When one family member cannot safely eat at a restaurant, everyone may go elsewhere. Dependable options could attract additional family orders, repeat visits, and lasting customer loyalty. A pilot would allow both companies to measure that opportunity alongside operating costs and safety performance.

For parents and caregivers, the benefit is equally practical: fewer separate stops, less preparation, and an affordable meal everyone can share.

We ask McDonald’s and Wendy’s to:

1. Partner with celiac specialists and qualified food-safety experts to design a U.S. pilot.
2. Offer at least one complete adult meal and one children’s meal with verified gluten-free ingredients and preparation procedures.
3. Train staff and independently verify cross-contact controls, including appropriate fryer arrangements wherever fried foods are offered.
4. Keep prices accessible and clearly identify participating restaurants and ordering procedures.
5. Publish the pilot’s findings and a decision about expansion.

People with wheat allergies also deserve consideration. Their needs should be assessed separately, with clear ingredient information and appropriate allergy controls.

Please sign to ask these companies to take a practical, measurable step toward making everyday meals more accessible to families living with celiac disease.