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Waffle House Gluten-Free Menu – What Should You Avoid?

As a celiac, can you seek comfort with Waffle House gluten-free dishes, or is the hunt for good eggs, omelettes, and hashbrown bowls an impossible task?

Eating out as a celiac for over 30 years has taught me to tread very, very carefully, especially when I’m eating out at iconic spots and fast-dining chains like Waffle House.

Sure, their world-famous waffles might reign supreme, but are Waffle House’s gluten-free menu items worth the risk that we celiacs have to live with each day?

On paper, its 24/7 diner‑style menu looks welcoming, and there’s a slight hint that you might be able to finally find some Waffle House gluten-free options.

However, when you peek at “All Bread Including Waffles” under their surprisingly detailed Wheat allergen list, your heart may skip a beat! Alas, Waffle House isn’t to be if you’re a fellow celiac.💔

First, the good news… beyond the classic waffles and biscuits (which make up a huge portion of their menu), Waffle House offers a host of naturally gluten‑free items.

This includes Waffle House’s build-your-own omelets and hearty hashbrown bowls, to trusty cup‑of‑joe beverages, which could fuel us celiacs with minimal risk.

With that heartbreaking news out of the way, let me walk you through their disclaimer and allergen policy, break down every single menu section, and share my best hacks for avoiding cross‑contact risks! 🥞❌➡️🥓✅

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Disclaimer

Waffle House publishes a Food Allergens Poster on its website, which they update quarterly. Here, they clearly state that “All Breads including Waffles, Biscuits & Buns” contain wheat and that shared surfaces pose cross‑contact risks.

As such, they urge gluten-free guests to consult managers, staff and review their allergen guide before ordering. 🧇

Here’s specifically what they have to say about Waffle House’s gluten-free and celiac-friendly policy:

While we identify ingredients containing major allergens, shared preparation areas and equipment pose cross-contact risks. Gluten-free guests should consult managers and review allergen guides before ordering.

Here’s a quick and dirty lowdown on what you need to be worried about with Waffle House’s gluten-free policies:

• Waffle House’s Waffles, Biscuits, and Buns don’t come with any gluten‑free bread or waffle alternatives that are celiac-safe.
• All waffles are prepared in the same waffle bakers and will come into contact with peanut and tree nut products, underscoring the high risk of cross‑contact in the waffle irons.
• Beyond waffles, Waffle House’s allergen policies note other major allergens—eggs, milk, soy, fish & shellfish, sesame, peanuts & tree nuts, and more.
• Many bowls, sandwiches, and biscuits are served with egg or dairy components, so you should review and double-check each item carefully before ordering.

In short, always double‑check the latest poster, let staff know you have celiac disease, and be prepared to ask for extra care. 🍽🍳👩‍🍳

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Waffle House Allergen Policy (Gluten-Free)

For a complete and detailed look at Waffle House’s gluten-free menu items (of which there is unfortunately quite little of), I’d highly recommend checking out their Full Nutritional PDF.

I’ve linked to the latest (as of writing, at least – version v20.2), up-to-date copy of the PDF here. If the dates on the PDF’s filename are anything to go by, this was last updated on July 17th, 2019.

That’s quite a long time ago, but hopefully, their menu hasn’t changed since then. But if you’re ever unsure, you could always confirm with your local Waffle House staff.

This PDF doesn’t list ‘gluten’, but it instead mentions ‘wheat’ under the ‘Allergens’ tab. If you’re viewing this PDF on your computer, a quick CTRL+F will show just how much of their menu isn’t celiac-safe. 🙁

Oh, and Waffle House makes it pretty easy to check their menu online, too! You can check out their Breakfast menu here or their Lunch & Dinner menu here. Plus, not only could you order from here, in true Waffle House fashion, there’s a huge amount of customizability.

You could build your specific order, add extra toppings, or include sides, and it even shows the calories.

Just remember that for celiacs or folks like me who are curious about Waffle House’s gluten-free menu items, they don’t have any dedicated gluten-free fryers or irons.

Staff might clean cooking surfaces and prep surfaces if you ask, but that cross-contamination risk still remains. ⚠️

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Egg Breakfasts

Waffle House’s egg breakfasts are the ultimate “your way, every day” start. All you need to do is pick your eggs and protein, then choose your sides.

As much as I want at least one major win for my Waffle House gluten-free list, proceed with caution with their egg breakfasts! 🥚

While all egg‑and‑meat combinations contain no wheat ingredients, they’re all cooked on shared griddles.

Aside from that, they’re normally served with toast (100% not celiac-safe and gluten-free). So, be sure to skip the toast side or even swap in a hashbrown side to keep things gluten‑free. ⚠️

⚠️ Egg Breakfast
⚠️ T‑Bone & Eggs Breakfast
⚠️ Sirloin & Eggs Breakfast
⚠️ Country Ham & Eggs Breakfast
⚠️ Chicken & Eggs Breakfast
⚠️ Pork Chops & Eggs Breakfast

Now, let’s take a closer peek at what you need to watch out for:

Egg Breakfast: Two eggs cooked your way with no added fillers—just pure eggs. Remember to ask for hashbrowns or fruit as a side instead of toast to keep it gluten‑free.

T‑Bone & Eggs Breakfast: A grilled T‑bone steak paired with two eggs. Both the steak and eggs are naturally free of wheat—just skip the toast.

Sirloin & Eggs Breakfast: Lean sirloin steak with two eggs. It’s a simple yet hearty and gluten-free dish by ingredients alone, as long as you omit the toast.

Country Ham & Eggs Breakfast: Salt-cured country ham slices served with two eggs—country ham is gluten‑free, so order without toast for a celiac-safe meal.

Chicken & Eggs Breakfast: Grilled chicken breast alongside two eggs. Neither component has wheat, but you ought to remind staff to clean the grill and leave off the toast.

Pork Chops & Eggs Breakfast: Two seasoned pork chops with eggs. Pork chops contain no gluten, making this a solid gluten-free choice once the toast is swapped out.

All of these breakfasts rely solely on eggs and proteins, so they’re excellent gluten‑free picks. Again, though, remember to avoid the standard, included wheat toast and ask the staff for fresh cooking surfaces. 🍞

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Breakfast Hashbrown Bowls

Waffle House’s signature and outright legendary Hashbrown Bowls combine crispy shredded potatoes with melted cheese, scrambled eggs, and savoury meats in one hearty bowl!

Plus, I can safely add this to my Waffle House gluten-free list, because the base ingredients contain no wheat flours or breadcrumbs, so they’re gluten-free from an ingredients standpoint! ✅

But, and this is a big but, because they’re all cooked on the same griddle that sizzles waffles, biscuits, and toast, the risk of cross-contact is quite significant.

Thankfully, you could always ask the staff for a freshly cleaned section before cooking:

✅ Sausage, Egg & Cheese Hashbrown Bowl
✅ Bacon, Egg & Cheese Hashbrown Bowl
✅ Ham, Egg & Cheese Hashbrown Bowl

Let’s break this down with a bit more detail:

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Hashbrown Bowl: Large hashbrowns topped with crumbled Jimmy Dean sausage, two scrambled eggs, and melted cheese. None of these additions contains any gluten ingredients, but cross-contact risks can occur on the griddle.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Hashbrown Bowl: Crispy bacon strips, scrambled eggs, and cheese cover the hashbrowns, and although each component is gluten‑free, shared cooking surfaces remain a concern.

Ham, Egg & Cheese Hashbrown Bowl: Lean ham slices, eggs, and some melted cheese top the hashbrowns. It’s technically safe by ingredients, but remember to ask for clean cooking areas to reduce the risk of cross‑contact.

If you can’t find a particular favorite, here’s my personal favorite hack… You can also build your own Hashbrown Bowl by starting with some double hashbrowns, two eggs, two cheese slices, and your choice of meat. The ingredients are gluten-free, but again, the cross-contact risks still apply, so do be careful! 🍳

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Waffles

Waffle House’s signature breakfast item comes in four tempting varieties. One may hope that their namesake might be included in the already dwindling Waffle House’s gluten-free options, but you could order.

Alas, it’s not meant to be. 🧇

Unfortunately, every single waffle here is made from the same Sweet Cream Waffle batter that contains enriched wheat flour. In short, none are safe for celiacs!

On top of that, these waffles are cooked on shared irons alongside nut‑topped varieties, heightening cross‑contact risks. ❌

❌ Classic Waffle
❌ Pecan Waffle
❌ Chocolate Chip Waffle
❌ Peanut Butter Chip Waffle

Now, let’s break this down a bit more to see why they’re not included in my list of Waffle House gluten-free options:

Classic Waffle: The original Sweet Cream Waffle uses enriched wheat flour, sugar, eggs, and oil. No gluten‑free alternative is available, so it’s definitely off‑limits for celiacs.

Pecan Waffle: Made from the same wheat‑based batter folded with pecan pieces. Those nuts add some nice crunch, but they do nothing to remove the gluten in the base.

Chocolate Chip Waffle: Features sweet-cream batter studded with chocolate chips. However, the underlying waffle mix once again contains wheat flour, so it’s 100% unsafe.

Peanut Butter Chip Waffle: These are topped with peanut butter chips on the standard wheat batter. Despite the nutty twist, the base still contains gluten, so look away if you’re a celiac!

Remember, all four of their main waffle options here share irons with other wheat items and nut‑toppings, making true gluten-free service pretty much impossible! Instead, steer clear of their waffles and opt for their awesomely tasty egg or hashbrown-based dishes to keep your meal safe. 🥚🥔

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Toddle House Omelets

Based on the light, fluffy omelets that Joe Rogers Sr. crafted in his 1940s Toddle House days, some of the Toddle House Omelets at Waffle House today still remain true to that tradition.

You’re basically getting two-egg creations that are cooked on the griddle and built to order with premium meats, cheeses, and veggies! 🧀

While the omelet base contains no wheat flour—technically making it into my Waffle House gluten-free list—you’ll want to skip the default toast or biscuit & jelly. And, beware of shared griddles to minimise cross-contact risks. But, other than those precautions, you could safely enjoy some beautifully soft and fluffy omelets:

⚠️ Cheese Omelet
⚠️ Ham & Cheese Omelet
⚠️ Fiesta Omelet
⚠️ Cheesesteak Omelet
⚠️ Build‑Your‑Own Omelet

Let’s take a closer look at what you need to look out for with these omelets:

Cheese Omelet: Two eggs folded with American cheese—contains egg, milk, and soy but no wheat ingredients. Just make sure you ask for no toast, and you’re good to go.

Ham & Cheese Omelet: Adds hickory-smoked ham to the cheese omelet. The ham, eggs, and cheese all lack gluten, so long as you skip the carbs and you’ve got a celiac-safe meal.

Fiesta Omelet: Eggs tossed with diced tomatoes, jalapeños, grilled onions, and cheese. All the fillings are naturally gluten‑free, but ensure a clean cooking area and omit the toast.

Cheesesteak Omelet: Packed with thin‑sliced chuck steak and American cheese. The steak and cheese contain no gluten—just ask staff to change gloves and wipe down the griddle.

Build‑Your‑Own Omelet: Pick any combination of meats (bacon, sausage), veggies (peppers, mushrooms), and cheeses. All these add‑ins lack wheat, as long as you opt out of the toast or biscuit to keep it gluten-free.

Remember, all these omelets are served with toast or a biscuit & jelly plus your choice of grits, hashbrowns, or sliced tomatoes. To make sure they’re safe for celiacs and gluten-free, always specify no toast and choose hashbrowns or sliced tomatoes instead! 🥪

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Breakfast Sandwiches & Texas Melts

Handheld breakfasts at Waffle House are undeniably super convenient! Unfortunately, every sandwich and Texas Melt is built on wheat-based bread—either classic buns or their thick-cut Texas toast—so none of these can be made truly celiac-safe or gluten-free. ❌

As with all the many breads at Waffle House that I’ve peeked at so far, these share toasters and griddle space with waffles, biscuits, and other wheat-based dishes. Even for less sensitive celiacs, the cross‑contact and contamination risks are way too high.

❌ Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Texas Sausage, Egg & Cheese Melt
❌ Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Texas Bacon, Egg & Cheese Melt
❌ Build‑Your‑Own Breakfast Sandwich
❌ Build‑Your‑Own Breakfast Texas Melt

Now, let’s break down each sandwich and the Texas Melt one by one:

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich: A pork sausage patty, scrambled egg, and American cheese served on a soft wheat bun. Alas, no gluten-free option is offered, so avoid this entirely.

Texas Sausage, Egg & Cheese Melt: Same filling on thick Texas toast brushed with butter. The toast is made from enriched wheat flour, making this off-limits for celiacs.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich: Crispy bacon, egg, and cheese on a wheat bun. Now, bacon and eggs are gluten-free, but the bun contains wheat and is prepared on shared equipment.

Texas Bacon, Egg & Cheese Melt: Identical ingredients on Texas toast. So, it still uses the same wheat‑based bread, so it’s 100% unsafe for celiacs.

Build‑Your‑Own Breakfast Sandwich: Choose any combination of eggs, cheese, and meats on a wheat bun. Again, while the fillings are gluten-free by ingredient, the sandwich bread remains wheat‑based.

Build‑Your‑Own Breakfast Texas Melt: Custom fillings on Texas toast. The Texas toast itself is wheat‑based and cooked on shared griddles, so avoid this if you’re a celiac.

Because no gluten‑free buns or toast substitutes are available, not to mention that all bread items contact with common toasters and griddles, super-strict celiacs should skip these handheld breakfast options. Instead, I’d recommend opting for egg‑and‑hashbrown dishes. 🍳

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Biscuits

Waffle House’s biscuits are classic Southern favorites. Unfortunately, each biscuit is made from enriched wheat flour (plus egg, milk, and soy) and cooked on shared griddles. As such, none are safe for celiacs, and they won’t make it into my list of Waffle House gluten-free dishes:

❌ Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
❌ Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
❌ City Ham Biscuits (2)
❌ Country Ham Biscuits (2)
❌ Chicken Biscuit
❌ Biscuit & Gravy
❌ Build‑Your‑Own Biscuit

Now, let’s take a look at each one and see why they’re not celiac-safe:

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit: Features a pork sausage patty, scrambled egg, and American cheese tucked inside a standard biscuit. It sounds delicious, but the biscuit’s wheat flour base makes it off-limits for celiacs.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit: Crispy bacon with egg and cheese on the same wheat‑based biscuit. While bacon and cheese are naturally gluten-free, that biscuit certainly isn’t.

City Ham Biscuits (2): Two biscuits each topped with lean city ham. Again, the ham itself is gluten‑free, but the biscuit’s wheat ingredients render this combo unsafe for celiacs.

Country Ham Biscuits (2): Similar to city ham but with saltier country‑style ham. Again, the ham is fine, but the biscuit is not gluten-free.

Chicken Biscuit: Hand‑breaded chicken filet on a biscuit. Sure, the chicken contains a bit of flour, but even a plain biscuit uses wheat, so avoid this entirely!

Biscuit & Gravy: Biscuit smothered in creamy sausage gravy. Both the biscuit and the gravy (thickened with wheat flour) contain gluten, making it a double‑no.

Build‑Your‑Own Biscuit: Pick any biscuit and toppings (egg, cheese, meat). Yet, no matter what you add, the biscuit remains wheat‑based with egg, milk, and soy. So, it’s unsafe for celiacs.

All these biscuits here share the same prep surfaces and equipment, too. So, as I mentioned earlier, cross-contact risks are incredibly high, even if a particular topping itself is gluten‑free. For a safer breakfast, I’d suggest skipping the biscuits and exploring Waffle House’s egg and hashbrown-based options instead. 🍳

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Sides

Waffle House offers a variety of sides to complement your meal. While some of these are naturally gluten-free, others might contain gluten or are prepared in environments where cross-contact is possible. So, with an abundance of caution, some of these sides are safe!

✅ Bacon
✅ Sausage
✅ City Ham
✅ Country Ham
✅ Hashbrowns
✅ Tomatoes, Sliced
⚠️ Grits, Bowl
⚠️ Bacon, Egg & Cheese Grits Bowl
⚠️ Sausage, Egg & Cheese Grits Bowl
⚠️ Ham, Egg & Cheese Grits Bowl
❌ Toast, Side
❌ Biscuit, Side

Just so we understand why some of these won’t make my personal Waffle House gluten-free list, here’s a breakdown:

Bacon: Naturally gluten-free, but they’re prepared on shared equipment, posing a risk of cross-contact. So, make sure you ask the staff for a clean prep area.

Sausage: Contains soy but no wheat. However, cross-contact is possible due to shared cooking surfaces, so be careful.

City Ham: Does not contain gluten ingredients, but be cautious of preparation methods.

Country Ham: Similar to city ham, as they’re naturally gluten-free, but prepared on shared equipment.

Hashbrowns: Made from potatoes and cooked on the griddle. While they don’t contain gluten ingredients, the shared cooking surface may lead to cross-contact.

Tomatoes, Sliced: Fresh and naturally gluten-free, with relatively minimal risk of cross-contact, though ask the staff just to make 100% sure.

Grits, Bowl: While the grits are made from corn and are naturally gluten-free, Waffle House’s grits contain egg, milk, soy, and wheat, indicating potential gluten content or cross-contact.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Grits Bowl: Contains grits, bacon, eggs, and cheese. Now, due to the inclusion of grits, this bowl might contain gluten.

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Grits Bowl: Similar to the bacon version, but with sausage instead. Once again, the presence of grits suggests potential gluten content.

Ham, Egg & Cheese Grits Bowl: Includes ham, eggs, cheese, and grits. Again, the grits may introduce gluten into the dish, so it’s wise to skip them, especially if you’re super-sensitive.

Toast, Side: Made from wheat-based bread. It contains gluten and is not safe for those with celiac disease, and unfortunately, there are no gluten-free alternatives.

Biscuit, Side: Also wheat-based and contains gluten, so it should be avoided by folks like you and me with gluten sensitivities.

Since there’s a huge risk of cross-contact in shared cooking environments, I’d recommend that you let the Waffle House staff know about your dietary needs clearly when you’re ordering. ✍

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Hashbrowns

Waffle House’s hashbrowns are a personal favorite of mine, and they’ll easily fall into my list of Waffle House gluten-free dishes! These explosive potato delights are a pretty customizable and hearty add-on to any meal. 🥔🍠

They’re made from shredded potatoes, which makes them naturally gluten-free. However, they do contain some soy due to the cooking oil used. Also, remember that while these hashbrowns don’t contain any gluten, they are prepared on shared cooking surfaces. This may lead to cross-contact with gluten-containing ingredients, so proceed with caution.

✅ Hashbrowns
✅ Hashbrowns Scattered, Smothered & Covered
⚠️ Hashbrowns All-The-Way

Let’s take a closer look at each one to see if they’re totally gluten-free:

Hashbrowns: These are simply shredded potatoes cooked on the griddle. They are gluten-free, have a look at the base ingredients, but may be subject to cross-contact during the prep. ​

Hashbrowns Scattered, Smothered & Covered: This version includes some sautéed onions and melted American cheese. While the onions are gluten-free, the cheese contains milk and soy.

Hashbrowns All-The-Way: This fully loaded option adds chili, tomatoes, jalapeños, mushrooms, and ham to the Scattered, Smothered & Covered base. While all those toppings are generally gluten-free, the chili might contain gluten, and the ham may have been processed with gluten-containing ingredients. ​

With the exception of the latter, Waffle House’s mouth-watering hashbrowns are usually quite safe, so long as you remind the staff that you’re a celiac. If you’re very sensitive, it may help to ask them to cook your hashbrowns on a freshly cleaned section of the griddle.

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Angus Burgers

Waffle House’s Angus Burgers feature 100% Angus beef, cooked fresh to order. As much as I’d love to add this to my Waffle House gluten-free list, it’s not meant to be. 🙁

While the beef patties themselves are gluten-free by ingredients, those buns and preparation methods introduce gluten and other allergens. Additionally, all items are prepared on shared equipment, posing even more risk of cross-contamination. If you’re a celiac, it’s probably way safer to just ignore these and order something else.​

❌ Original Angus Hamburger (2 oz)
❌ Quarter Pound Angus Hamburger (4 oz)

Here’s my explainer on why these burgers aren’t safe for celiacs:

Original Angus Hamburger (2 oz): This burger includes a 2-ounce Angus beef patty served on a grilled bun. The bun itself contains wheat (and thus, gluten), and the preparation process may involve milk and soy. Therefore, this isn’t at all suitable for folks with any gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. ​

Quarter Pound Angus Hamburger (4 oz): Featuring a 4-ounce Angus beef patty with lettuce, tomato, and grilled onions on a grilled bun, this burger also contains wheat, milk, and soy. As with the smaller version earlier, the presence of gluten in the bun and potential cross-contact during preparation make it unsuitable for folks like me trying to avoid gluten at all costs!

As I’ve mentioned earlier, Waffle House doesn’t offer any gluten-free buns, not to mention the lack of dedicated preparation areas for gluten-free items. If you’re a sensitive celiac, avoid this like the plague, no matter how much you love burgers! 🍔

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Texas Melts

Waffle House’s Texas Melts are these awesomely hearty sandwiches that feature grilled meats, melted cheese, and grilled onions, all served on ridiculously thick Texas toast. While these melts are tasty for those who don’t have celiac, once again, Waffle House’s lack of gluten-free toast buns is pretty disappointing for folks like me. In other words, avoid these, too. 🙄

❌ Texas Cheesesteak Melt
❌ Texas Angus Patty Melt
❌ Texas Grilled Chicken Melt
❌ Texas Sausage Melt

Now, let’s break down each one:

Texas Cheesesteak Melt: This melt features thin-sliced chuck cheesesteak with grilled onions and two slices of melted American cheese on Texas toast. It contains wheat (from the toast), milk (from the cheese), and soy. Due to these allergens and the risk of cross-contact, it’s not suitable for celiacs like us.

Texas Angus Patty Melt: Comprising a quarter-pound Angus beef patty, grilled onions, and melted American cheese on Texas toast, this melt has wheat, milk, and soy. Just like all the other melts here, the bread itself isn’t safe for celiacs.

Texas Grilled Chicken Melt: This option includes grilled chicken, melted American cheese, and grilled onions on Texas toast. It contains some wheat, milk, and soy, and is prepped on shared equipment, posing the same allergen risks as the other melts here.

Texas Sausage Melt: Featuring sausage, melted American cheese, and grilled onions on Texas toast, this melt also has wheat, milk, and soy. The shared cooking areas may also lead to cross-contact, not to mention the fact that Waffle House has no gluten-free bread options.

Since Waffle House doesn’t offer gluten-free bread alternatives, unlike some other fast-food or fast-dining chains, you’re going to have to discount anything bread-related at Waffle House. 🍞 ​

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Classic Dinners

Waffle House’s Classic Dinners are deliciously hearty, protein-rich meals featuring grilled meats and traditional Southern sides. At first, I assumed that if you removed the toast sides that come with each meal, it’d be gluten-free and celiac-safe! Alas, this too isn’t made for celiacs. 😑

When checking Waffle House’s Nutritional Guide and Allergen Policy, it turns out that these contain allergens such as wheat, which definitely makes these another skip for all my fellow celiacs out there.

❌ T-Bone Dinner
❌ Sirloin Dinner
❌ Country Ham Dinner
❌ Chicken Dinner
❌ Pork Chop Dinner

Now, let’s look at more details on why these aren’t celiac-safe:

T-Bone Dinner: This meal includes a USDA Choice T-Bone steak, cooked to order, and is served with sides such as hashbrowns and toast. It contains milk, soy, and wheat, making it a no-go for celiacs.

Sirloin Dinner: Featuring a USDA Choice sirloin steak, this dinner also comes with traditional sides. It contains milk, soy, and wheat, so it won’t be making it into my list of Waffle House gluten-free options.

Country Ham Dinner: This option includes a generous portion of country ham, accompanied by classic sides. It, once again, comes with allergens like milk, soy, and wheat.

Chicken Dinner: The chicken dinner features grilled chicken breast, served with sides. As tasty as this might look, it contains milk, soy, and wheat.

Pork Chop Dinner: This meal includes grilled pork chops, accompanied by traditional sides. It contains milk, soy, and wheat, and with approximately 1,005 calories, it’s the heaviest meal here.

Let this be a reminder not to judge a book by its cover! You might think that grilled meats are safe for celiacs and are gluten-free, but this is proof that you should always check a restaurant’s allergen policy before dining there. Remember to check out Waffle House’s Nutritional PDF that I linked to earlier. 🥩

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Sandwiches

At risk of sounding like a broken clock, it’s worth covering Waffle House’s sandwiches, too. It would’ve been awesome to try out Waffle House’s idea of a sandwich, but for celiacs, they’re not gluten-free! Served on toasted bread, I hope that one day, we could get some gluten-free Waffle House buns, breads, and toasts, but for now, we’ll have to avoid these:

❌ Grilled Chicken Sandwich
❌ Ham & Cheese Sandwich (Lettuce & Tomato)
❌ Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich
❌ BLT Sandwich
❌ Texas Bacon Lover’s BLT Sandwich
❌ Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Let’s break this down a bit more to see why these aren’t included in my list of Waffle House gluten-free meals:

Grilled Chicken Sandwich: This sandwich features a grilled chicken breast served on toasted bread. It contains milk, soy, and wheat, and that bread isn’t gluten-free, so avoid this one. ​

Ham & Cheese Sandwich (Lettuce & Tomato): Combining hickory-smoked ham, some melted American cheese, lettuce, and tomato on toasted bread. In short, this sandwich wasn’t made for celiacs in mind, thanks to that non-gluten-free, wheat-based bread. ​

Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich: Featuring hickory-smoked ham and melted American cheese on grilled toast, this sandwich contains milk, soy, and wheat. As with other sandwiches, these can’t be swapped out for gluten-free bread. ​

BLT Sandwich: A classic combination of bacon, lettuce, and tomato served on toasted bread. This sandwich contains soy and wheat, and the list of allergens might also include milk.

Texas Bacon Lover’s BLT Sandwich: An indulgent version of the classic BLT, featuring five slices of bacon on thick Texas toast. It contains milk, soy, and wheat, so for celiacs like me, you have to ignore this one, as well.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich: A simple yet satisfying option with melted American cheese on grilled toast. Just like the others here, this sandwich contains milk, soy, and wheat, and no alternative gluten-free bread anywhere in sight!

Suffice it to say by now, Waffle House doesn’t offer gluten-free bread alternatives, so it’s a bit hard to recommend most of their menu for my fellow celiacs out there. 🥪

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Beverages

If those hashbrowns are getting you thirsty, they offer a variety of beverages, many of which make it into my personal list of Waffle House gluten-free menu items.

✅ Classic Blend Coffee
✅ Decaf Coffee
✅ Dark Roast Coffee
✅ Coca-Cola
✅ Diet Coke
✅ Sprite
✅ Pibb-Xtra
✅ Barq’s Root Beer
✅ Hi-C Fruit Punch
✅ Minute Maid Lemonade
✅ Alice’s Iced Tea, Unsweet
✅ Alice’s Iced Tea, Sweet
✅ Alice’s Teamonade, Sweet
✅ Minute Maid Apple Juice
✅ Minute Maid Orange Juice (9 oz & 16 oz)
✅ Milk, 2% (9 oz & 16 oz)
✅ Chocolate Milk, Whole (9 oz & 16 oz)
✅ Hot Tea

For more context, let’s break this down a bit to see what’s what:

Classic Blend Coffee, Decaf Coffee, Dark Roast Coffee: These coffees are naturally gluten-free and contain no common allergens, so they’re safe for celiacs.​

Soft Drinks (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, Pibb-Xtra, Barq’s Root Beer, Hi-C Fruit Punch, Minute Maid Lemonade): These drinks are gluten-free and don’t contain any common allergens.​

Alice’s Iced Tea (Unsweet, Sweet) and Teamonade: These teas are gluten-free and free from common allergens, making them gluten-free.​

Juices (Minute Maid Apple Juice, Minute Maid Orange Juice): These juices are gluten-free and don’t come with common allergens.​

Milk and Chocolate Milk: While milk is naturally gluten-free, it contains dairy, which may be a concern for those of you here with lactose intolerance or milk allergies.​

Hot Tea: Once again, this one here is gluten-free and free from common allergens, safe for any celiacs out there!​

Now, you should remember that while these drinks are all gluten-free by ingredients, Waffle House doesn’t have a dedicated gluten-free preparation area. That said, some cross-contact risk is still possible. I’d suggest informing your server or waiter of your dietary restrictions to help minimize risks, especially if, like me, you’re super sensitive! ☕​

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Pies

Last but not least, a Waffle House gluten-free menu wouldn’t be complete without their iconic pies! Inspired by Aunt Maggie’s original recipes from 1955, they offer a really sweet conclusion to any meal. Ah, but here’s some bad news: they’re not celiac-safe! Thanks to allergens that include wheat, they’re not gluten-free, so that’s me ending it on a sour note.

❌ Southern Pecan Pie
❌ Triple Chocolate Pie

Let’s see exactly what allergens these pies come with:

Southern Pecan Pie: This classic dessert features a buttery crust filled with a rich, sugary pecan mixture. However, each slice includes allergens such as egg, milk, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.

Triple Chocolate Pie: A superbly decadent treat combining layers of chocolate for a rich flavor experience. Again, each one comes with a healthy dose of milk, soy, and wheat.

Even if these pies don’t feature any gluten, since Waffle House doesn’t have very strict policies when it comes to separate prep areas and equipment, you’re better off avoiding these. 🥧

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To Sum Up

In summary, I’m sad to report that Waffle House isn’t exactly a celiac’s breakfast palace. Their signature waffles, biscuits, and toast are all wheat‑based ❌. But, with a little savvy ordering, you could enjoy plenty of their diner classics…

Build‑your‑own omelets, egg plates, hashbrown bowls, and their sides, along with all your favourite beverages; all safely gluten‑free ✅.

As with most restaurants and chains that I cover, I 100% recommend checking out and saving the allergen policy and nutritional guide that I linked earlier. 🔍

Aside from that, here are some of my top tips to make sure that we fellow celiacs could safely order from Waffle House:

• Order during off‑peak hours, and you could even call ahead to let them prep fresh surfaces to reduce any risk of cross-contamination.
• Remember to ask the staff to clean the waffle irons and griddles before cooking your eggs or hashbrowns. Again, this is to reduce cross-contamination risks.
• Skip the toast—stick with eggs, omelets, bowls, and sides. It’s sad that Waffle House doesn’t offer gluten-free breads and buns, but maybe someday, eh?

In a pinch, Waffle House has more than enough naturally gluten‑free meals to keep you fed—just dodge those waffle allergens and go straight for eggs, hashbrowns, and hearty omelets.

In the meantime, remember to stay tuned to Great Without Gluten for more celiac‑friendly dining guides! 🥓💪

You could also check out my other eating out guides and some tasty gluten‑free recipes!

If you’re craving other fast‑food chains, check out my celiac-friendly guides to Jimmy John’s, Red Robin, Subway, Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King, Outback, Firehouse Subs, The Cheesecake Factory, Panda Express, Applebee’s, Chick-fil-A, Krispy Kreme, IHOP, Taco Bell, Buffalo Wild Wings, Olive Garden, Panera Bread, Sonic, Popeyes, Dunkin Donuts, Texas Roadhouse, Five Guys, Chipotle, Starbucks and more! 🍔🍟

Stay safe and gluten‑aware, my celiac friends! 💖🥗

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Frequently Asked Questions

While researching Waffle House gluten-free meals and dishes, here are some of the pressing questions that I keep seeing repeated, so here’s what I have to say about each one:

Does Waffle House have any gluten‑free breads or waffles?

No—all of their classic waffles, biscuits, and all toast options use wheat flour, and no gluten-free bread substitute or alternative is available.

Are the omelets at Waffle House gluten‑free?

Yes—their Toddle House omelets (cheese, ham & cheese, cheesesteak, fiesta, build‑your‑own) contain only eggs, cheese, meats, and veggies, so there are no wheat ingredients.

Can I get Waffle House hashbrown bowls safely as a celiac?

Absolutely! Each bowl is just hashbrowns topped with eggs, cheese, and your choice of bacon, sausage, or ham. As such, there’s no bread involved.

How can I reduce cross‑contact risk as a celiac?

Order during slower hours, ask for fresh gloves and wiped‑down griddle surfaces, and avoid items at Waffle House that share irons with waffles.

Are Waffle House drinks safe for celiacs?

Yes! All of Waffle House’s coffee, iced tea, fountain and bottled sodas, and bottled water contain no gluten ingredients. However, just be cautious with shared ice machines.

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