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The Complete Potbelly Gluten-Free Menu Guide For 2025

If you’re craving a toasted sub without worry, let’s check out the Potbelly gluten-free menu, with their sandwiches, delectable salads, soups, and sides.

Sandwiches and celiacs often go together like oil and water, and while loads of gluten-friendly sandwich shops have opened in the last few years alone, there’s a long road ahead. 🥪🚫🌾

Probably the best example of this is Potbelly, one of the best up-and-coming sandwich shops in recent times, with a menu brimming with beautifully delicious, juicy, and mouthwatering subs.

However, as much as I’d love to recommend Potbelly to everyone out there, including myself, it is a very hard pill to swallow if you’re a celiac or if you have a severe gluten intolerance. 🥩🍖

Pretty much the entire Potbelly sandwiches menu, literally what they’re known for, is filled to the brim with wheat and gluten, mainly from the buns, with no gluten-free substitutes. 🍞🥖

So, with gluten-unfriendly sandwiches removed from the equation, all you’re left with from the Potbelly menu are their salads, some of the soups and sides, and perhaps a refreshing drink.

While it’s nice to see that Potbelly’s sandwich and salad toppings are naturally gluten-free, you can’t find a lot to stuff them onto, so with that in mind, let’s check out what they have to offer.

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Disclaimer

Now, it’s worth bearing in mind, even with a fairly small selection of gluten-free items, Potbelly does not operate a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, and all items are prepped in shared spaces.

A common kitchen entails shared grills, toasters, slicers, and prep stations, with a potential for a decent amount of cross-contamination and trace gluten exposure on even the safest items.

This goes for menu items that don’t naturally contain wheat ingredients, so you should ideally treat even the safe items here more like ‘gluten-friendly’ or ‘gluten-sensitive’, not ‘gluten-free’.

On top of that, Potbelly doesn’t test its menu items to meet the FDA’s strict <20 ppm threshold for something to be labelled ‘certified gluten-free’, including their recipes and ingredients. 📝

This is particularly worrying for a celiac like me, as well as folks with gluten intolerance or very high sensitivity to gluten, especially since Potbelly is a sandwich shop, with loads of bread. 🥪

On the flipside, you can minimize cross-contamination by letting your server know about your specific dietary needs and asking for fresh gloves, clean utensils, and wiped-down surfaces.

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Potbelly Allergen Policy (Gluten-Free)

Plus, Potbelly at least makes it somewhat easy for celiacs like me to filter out the entire menu and figure out pretty quickly what I should be avoiding, and it starts by going to their website.

Once you’re on the official Potbelly website, you could then head over to the FAQ page, where you’ll learn that all of their salad dressings (once you omit the croutons) are gluten-free:

Yes they are! All of our salad dressings are gluten free, and as long as you do not get croutons, your entire salad can be gluten free! For more information on nutrition or allergens in our dressings, please visit our Nutrition Calculator Page.

Otherwise, if you’re concerned about your diet and your daily intake, you could also visit their official Nutrition Calculator, as well as the third-party Nutritionix-powered version, instead.

• Using that calculator, all you need to do is either build out your order or just click into specific menu items to check out their nutritional breakdown, with all the data you will need. ✍️📑
• This includes information like how much fat, cholesterol, sodium, or protein (among others) is included in each item, and the official nutrition calculator also lets you quickly filter the menu.
• By clicking on that ‘Add Diet Filter’ button, you could then select the ‘Avoid Gluten’ and ‘Avoid Wheat’ options if you’re a celiac, and the calculator would remove any offending items. 🌾

Aside from that, the other way to filter out their menu for specific allergens is to head to the Potbelly interactive allergen menu tool and select all the allergens that you’d like to avoid.

For celiacs, select the ‘Wheat’ and ‘Gluten’ options, and this interactive tool will then spit out the filtered menu, with a handy 🔴 and 🟢 marker to let you know which ones are safe:

• 🔴 – This item DOES CONTAIN the offending allergens (e.g., wheat and gluten)
• 🟢 – This item DOES NOT CONTAIN the offending allergens (e.g., wheat and gluten)

Of course, you could select other allergens using that interactive tool, for other allergies that you might have, such as eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, shellfish, soy, and plenty more besides. ✔️

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Sandwiches

As I mentioned earlier, Potbelly’s signature sandwiches, as delectable as they might be for any non-celiac out there, are all served on freshly baked wheat-based buns or breads. 🥪🚫🌾

Moreover, there’s not a single dedicated gluten-free bread or wrap option that you can swap with, unlike some other sandwich shops, at least not at the time of writing this. 🥓🥬🍅🥯

❌ Prime Rib Steak
❌ Cubano
❌ Sweet Heat Pork BBQ
❌ A Wreck
❌ Italian
❌ Avo Turkey
❌ Chicken Club
❌ BLTA
❌ Veggie Melt
❌ Pizza Melt
❌ Mediterranean
❌ Mama’s Meatball
❌ Turkey Breast
❌ Smoked Ham
❌ Roast Beef
❌ Grilled Chicken
❌ Tuna Salad
❌ Chicken Salad
❌ PB&J
❌ Grilled Cheese

Just to be extra sure these are a no-go, let’s check out what these sandwiches are made of:

Prime Rib Steak: Thinly sliced, slow-roasted prime rib piled high on a toasted wheat roll with melted provolone, caramelized onions, sautéed bell peppers, and a swipe of horseradish mayo. The toasted roll is made from enriched wheat flour, and the prep area sees regular contact with other glutenous breads, so it’s a double threat for celiacs.

Cubano: Shredded roasted pork, smoked ham, Swiss cheese, house-made pickles, and spicy mustard pressed inside a classic Cuban-style wheat loaf. Both the Cuban loaf and the pickle brine may contain trace gluten from shared brining and baking equipment, and without any gluten-free bread options, avoid this one, too.

Sweet Heat Pork BBQ: Pulled pork tossed in a sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce, topped with cheddar cheese and crunchy slaw, all served on a soft wheat bun. The bun’s enriched wheat flour and the barbecue sauce (which may also use malt vinegar) render this off‑limits for any celiac out there.

A Wreck: A loaded Italian sub on Potbelly’s signature wheat-based Italian roll, with loads of ham, turkey, roast beef, salami, melted provolone, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onion. That Italian roll is baked with high-gluten wheat flour and shares space with other bakery products, so avoid this if you’re gluten intolerant.

Italian: Genoa salami, capicola, pepperoni, ham, and provolone cheese layered with lettuce, tomato, onion, vinaigrette, and seasonings on an Italian-style wheat roll. The roll itself contains enriched wheat flour and glutenous dough conditioners, making it a no-go for celiacs.

Avo Turkey: Oven-roasted turkey breast, sliced avocado, Swiss cheese, fresh greens, tomato, and basil mayo served on a toasted wheat bun. The bun is made from 100% wheat flour, and the toasting uses communal equipment, too.

Chicken Club: Marinated, grilled chicken breast topped with crisp bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a soft wheat bun. Both the bun and the bacon prep surfaces carry cross‑contact risk with breaded items.

BLTA: Applewood-smoked bacon, fresh avocado, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on toasted wheat bread. The artisan wheat bread contains multigrain flour that isn’t gluten‑free, and it’s sliced on shared equipment, with no gluten-free substitutes.

Veggie Melt: Sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and yellow squash smothered in melted Swiss cheese on toasted wheat bread. The veggies are then cooked in woks that also handle battered items, and the bread contains wheat flour.

Pizza Melt: Pepperoni, ham, salami, melted mozzarella, and pizza sauce on a warm wheat roll. The pizza sauce often contains maltodextrin (from wheat), and the roll is baked with enriched wheat flour, so avoid this if you’re highly sensitive to gluten.

Mediterranean: Creamy hummus, crumbled feta, sliced cucumbers, Kalamata olives, mixed greens, tomato, and red onion on a wheat pita. The pita is made with bleached wheat flour and shares ovens with other breads, as well.

Mama’s Meatball: House-made Italian meatballs simmered in marinara sauce and topped with provolone on a toasted wheat roll. The meatballs contain breadcrumbs, and the bread roll is pure wheat flour, with no gluten-free alternatives available right now.

Turkey Breast: Thinly sliced oven-roasted turkey and provolone cheese on two slices of soft wheat bread. The bread’s enriched wheat flour and the slicer’s cross‑contamination with the other sandwich breads here make it absolutely unsafe.

Smoked Ham: Hand-carved smoked ham and Swiss cheese on toasted wheat bread with honey mustard. The bread is made from wheat flour, and the toaster is shared with other buns, so it’s another off-limit sandwich for celiacs and those who are gluten intolerant.

Roast Beef: Tender roast beef and cheddar cheese on a toasted wheat roll with horseradish sauce. The roll is pure wheat, and the prep area is the same one used for other breaded items, making it downright hazardous for celiacs like me.

Grilled Chicken: Marinated, grilled chicken breast with lettuce, tomato, and house mayo on a wheat bun. Both the bun and the grill surfaces see repeated contact with gluten-containing items, and there’s nothing you can do here to make it safe.

Tuna Salad: House-made tuna salad mixed with mayo and seasonings, served on soft wheat bread. The bread’s wheat flour and shared slicers introduce an abundance of gluten into the mix, with no gluten-free modifications available at this time.

Chicken Salad: Diced chicken breast tossed in mayo and herbs on wheat bread. Again, the bread contains wheat and uses the same slicer as other sandwich breads, and unlike some other sandwich shops, Potbelly offers no gluten-free customization.

PB&J: Creamy peanut butter and fruit jelly spread between two slices of their classic wheat sandwich bread. The bread is 100% wheat, with no gluten‑free alternative available, and it comes with a bucket load of cross-contamination with each order.

Grilled Cheese: Melted American cheese between two slices of toasted wheat bread. Even the cheese is pressed on shared equipment, but the primary issue is the wheat flour in the bread, and there are no gluten-free substitute breads or buns at this time.

Basically, every single sandwich at Potbelly features wheat and gluten aplenty, which ought to be avoided with a ten-foot pole if you’re on a strict gluten-free, celiac-safe diet. 🍔🧀🍖🥩

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Salads

On the bright side, at least my fellow celiacs could find something to eat from Potbelly’s salad menu, featuring a handful of fresh, café-style salads that are mostly gluten-free! 🥗🍅🥬🍗

Potbelly was also quick to highlight that all of their salad dressings and toppings – aside from the optional wheat-based croutons – are naturally free of any wheat and gluten, too. 🚫🍞

✅ Farmhouse Salad
✅ Apple Walnut Salad
✅ Powerhouse Salad
✅ Chicken Salad

For context, let’s check out what each of these delicious Potbelly salads is made of:

Farmhouse Salad: Mixed baby greens tossed with crisp applewood bacon, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and oven‑roasted chicken breast. Served with your choice of gluten‑free dressing, make sure you omit those crunchy croutons to keep it 100% wheat-free.

Apple Walnut Salad: Crisp romaine and spring mix layered with thin apple slices, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, crumbled goat cheese, and a light balsamic vinaigrette. All the toppings and the dressing here are gluten‑free by recipe, though skip the croutons to avoid adding wheat and gluten into the mix.

Powerhouse Salad: A protein‑packed blend of mixed greens, tri‑colored quinoa, chickpeas, edamame, shredded carrots, sunflower seeds, and diced avocado, and drizzled with your choice of gluten‑free dressing. Once again, leave off the croutons for a fully gluten‑free and wheat-free meal.

Chicken Salad: Creamy house‑made chicken salad, with shredded white meat chicken, mayo, diced celery, and seasonings, then served atop a bed of romaine and spring mix, garnished with fresh grapes and slivered almonds. It also comes with gluten‑free crackers or a gluten‑free roll upon request, and remember to not opt for the croutons.

Regardless of which salad you pick, however, remember to be cautious and on the lookout for any cross-contamination, especially while the salads are being tossed and prepped. 🥒🥦🍆

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Soups & Macs

Alas, it’s not all good news here, at least for celiacs. Potbelly’s selections of warm, comforting soups and cheese macs are perfect for cozying up, though most aren’t safe for celiacs. 🧀🍝

This is mainly due to the fact that most of these soups and macs rely on wheat thickeners and pastry crusts, as well as macaronic noodles, with no gluten-free substitutes, either. 🍲🍜🥣

❌ Chili Mac
❌ Mac & Cheese
❌ Broccoli Cheddar
❌ Chicken Pot Pie
❌ Chili
✅ Garden Vegetable
❌ Loaded Baked Potato

To figure out what makes them unsafe for celiacs, let’s check out what these are made of:

Chili Mac: Penne pasta and hearty beef‑bean chili baked in a cheddar‑tomato sauce, but both the pasta and the chili base use wheat flour as a thickener, and the whole dish is finished under a shared broiler, making it unsuitable for celiacs and folks with gluten intolerance.

Mac & Cheese: Elbow macaroni enveloped in a creamy cheese sauce made from a traditional flour-based roux, though both the pasta and the roux contain gluten, so this classic comfort dish is off‑limits for celiacs, as well as folks with non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Broccoli Cheddar: Creamy broccoli soup blended with shredded cheddar over a bed of noodle pieces, though the soup uses a wheat-flour slurry for thickness, and the addition of pasta into the mix, which is made of wheat, makes it unsafe for gluten‑free diners.

Chicken Pot Pie: Tender chicken and vegetables in a savory cream sauce encased in a flaky all‑butter pastry crust, but that crust is made with enriched wheat flour, and the filling uses wheat as a thickener, so avoid this entirely if you are gluten intolerant.

Chili: Robust beef-and-bean chili seasoned with spices and simmered in a wheat-thickened stock, and the wheat flour slurry gives it body, so it isn’t suitable for those avoiding gluten, particularly for celiacs or folks here who are highly sensitive to gluten.

Garden Vegetable: A light vegetable broth brimming with carrots, celery, zucchini, spinach, and tomatoes, which is then thickened naturally with pureed veggies and potato starch, and this means that this soup contains no wheat or gluten ingredients.

Loaded Baked Potato: Creamy potato soup swirled with sour cream, cheddar, and bacon, then crowned with chive garnish, though the base uses wheat flour for body, and it’s served from a shared kettle, making it unsafe for strict gluten‑free diets.

If you’re a celiac or if you’re gluten intolerant, the only safe option for you here is the Potbelly Garden Vegetable, but even then, make sure you’re extra careful with cross-contamination!

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Chips & Sides

Otherwise, Potbelly’s crunchy snack line-up is naturally gluten-free by ingredients, and you can enjoy these chips and sides without any hidden wheat or gluten ingredients in sight! 🍟🥔🍠

✅ Zapp’s Regular Chips
✅ Zapp’s Salt & Vinegar Chips
✅ Zapp’s Hotter N’ Hot Jalapeño Chips
✅ Zapp’s Mesquite BBQ Chips
✅ Zapp’s Hot Pepper Chips
✅ Zapp’s Voodoo Regular Chips
✅ Baked Lay’s
✅ Utz Cheese Curls
✅ Hot Peppers Jar
✅ Potbelly Whole Pickle

With that in mind, here’s what each of these is made of, and why they’re celiac-safe:

Zapp’s Regular Chips: Thin, kettle‑cooked potato chips seasoned with just salt, and they’re made from simple potatoes, oil, and salt, with no wheat or gluten ingredients.

Zapp’s Salt & Vinegar Chips: Kettle‑fried potatoes coated in tangy vinegar and salt, free of any flour or gluten thickeners in the seasoning, making it safe for celiacs.

Zapp’s Hotter N’ Hot Jalapeño Chips: Spicy jalapeño‑flavored kettle chips with natural pepper seasonings and no wheat‑based additives, and thus, it’s safe for celiacs.

Zapp’s Mesquite BBQ Chips: Smoky barbecue seasoning on crunchy kettle chips, made without gluten‑containing maltodextrin or any flour bulking agents, either.

Zapp’s Hot Pepper Chips: Bold hot‑pepper seasoning dusted over kettle‑cooked potatoes, with no wheat or gluten in the spice blend, which is perfect if you’re gluten intolerant.

Zapp’s Voodoo Regular Chips: Zesty ‘Voodoo’ seasoning on kettle chips and it’s crafted without wheat or gluten ingredients, and thus, it’s safe if you’re sensitive to gluten.

Baked Lay’s: Oven‑baked potato crisps lightly seasoned with salt, relying solely on potatoes, oil, and salt, with no gluten ingredients required, making it safe for celiacs.

Utz Cheese Curls: Air‑popped corn curls dusted with cheddar cheese powder and spices, and all these ingredients are sourced gluten‑free, and it’s another great pick for celiacs.

Hot Peppers Jar: Jarred banana peppers in vinegar brine, which is pickled in a simple vinegar, water, and salt solution with no wheat or gluten thickeners, too.

Potbelly Whole Pickle: Crisp dill pickle spear, made from cucumbers, water, vinegar, and dill, which is completely free of any wheat or gluten components.

Another upside to picking these chips and sides, particularly as a celiac, is that they come with factory-sealed packaging, further minimizing any potential risk of cross-contamination. 🧀🌶️

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Cookies & Shakes

Sadly, my fellow celiacs are not going to find anything safe to order among Potbelly’s cookies and shakes, as most of their cookies and shakes contain wheat or gluten ingredients. 🍪🍫🥛

❌ Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie
❌ Sugar Cookie
❌ Chocolate Brownie Cookie
❌ Dream Bar
❌ Bag Of Mini Cookies
✅ Root Beer Float Shake
✅ Banana Pudding Shake
❌ Cold Brew Shake
❌ Oreo Cookie Shake
❌ Chocolate Shake
❌ Strawberry Shake
❌ Vanilla Shake

For a comparison with the other items here, let’s see what these are made of:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie: Soft‑baked cookie with oats and chocolate chips in a wheat-flour dough, making it totally unsafe for celiacs.

Sugar Cookie: Classic sugar cookie made entirely from enriched wheat flour, butter, and sugar, which contains no gluten‑free alternative, sadly.

Chocolate Brownie Cookie: Dense cookie with cocoa and wheat flour base, and it’s then baked with pure wheat flour and rich chocolate, too.

Dream Bar: Bar made with a shortbread crust (wheat flour), caramel layer, and a chocolate topping, where all three layers contain gluten.

Bag of Mini Cookies: Assorted bite‑sized cookies in wheat‑flour dough, with no gluten‑free option available, making this a no-go for celiacs.

Root Beer Float Shake: Vanilla ice cream blended with root beer syrup, which contains no wheat or gluten ingredients, making this a safe pick if you’re gluten intolerant.

Banana Pudding Shake: Creamy shake made from real banana purée, vanilla ice cream, and milk, with no wheat or gluten ingredients in the recipe, and it’s safe for celiacs.

Cold Brew Shake: Cold brew coffee blended with ice cream and milk, and while coffee itself is gluten‑free, the ice cream base may contain malted milk powder, and the shake often comes with cookie or waffle cone mix‑ins, so overall, it’s not safe.

Oreo Cookie Shake: Vanilla ice cream blitzed with crushed Oreo cookies (wheat‑flour cookies), making it off‑limits for celiacs and folks with gluten intolerance.

Chocolate Shake: Chocolate ice cream and milk shake, which is often made with a chocolate syrup that can include maltodextrin from wheat, plus any potential cross‑contamination with cookie‑based flavors, too.

Strawberry Shake: Strawberry ice cream or syrup blended with milk, which frequently uses strawberry syrup thickened with wheat‑derived stabilizers and shares equipment with cookie shakes, making it entirely unsafe.

Vanilla Shake: Pure vanilla ice cream and milk, and though the base ice cream is naturally gluten‑free, it’s often produced alongside cookie mixes, and it might contain added malt or stabilizers with gluten, so it’s a no-go for celiacs.

For all my fellow celiacs, the only safe options here are those two shakes, but even then, there is quite a high risk of cross-contamination, so make that clear to your server, too. 🍓🍌☕️🍦

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Drinks

To help quench your thirst, at least Potbelly’s beverages are gluten-free, from fountain soda to bottled water and iced tea, making it a pretty easy and safe choice for celiacs. 🥤🧃🍹🍸🍵

✅ Fountain
✅ Coke
✅ Diet Coke
✅ Cherry Coke
✅ Coke Zero Sugar
✅ Sprite
✅ 16 oz. Bottled Water
✅ IBC Cream Soda
✅ IBC Root Beer
✅ Smartwater
✅ San Pellegrino
✅ San Pellegrino Blood Orange
✅ Gold Peak Sweet Tea
✅ Gold Peak Green Tea
✅ Powerade Mountain Berry Blast
✅ Crush
✅ Vitamin Water XXX Acai Blue Pomegranate
✅ Vitamin Water Squeezed Lemonade
✅ Arizona Tea
✅ Peach Tea Snapple
✅ Nantucket Nectars Orange Mango

While these drinks are clearly celiac-safe and gluten-free, let’s double-check to make sure:

Fountain: Self‑serve fountain sodas poured to order, and these formulas contain no gluten, though you may ask for a quick nozzle wipe to minimize any cross‑contact from flavorings or other dispensers.

Coke / Diet Coke / Cherry Coke / Coke Zero Sugar / Sprite / Crush: Popular carbonated soft drinks served from the fountain, and all of them are gluten‑free by ingredient, though a light rinse at the spigot further reduces any contamination risk.

16 oz. Bottled Water / Smartwater / San Pellegrino / San Pellegrino Blood Orange: Factory‑sealed still and sparkling waters, all of which are inherently gluten‑free and with virtually zero cross‑contact concerns, too.

IBC Cream Soda / IBC Root Beer: Bottled sodas made with gluten‑free recipes, with sealed packaging to ensure little to no risk of gluten exposure, too.

Gold Peak Sweet Tea / Gold Peak Green Tea: Premium iced teas in sealed bottles, and the recipes contain no gluten, and handling remains minimal once opened.

Powerade Mountain Berry Blast: Electrolyte drink in a sealed bottle, free of gluten ingredients, and it has with pretty low cross‑contact risk.

Vitamin Water XXX Acai Blue Pomegranate / Vitamin Water Squeezed Lemonade: Flavored functional waters in sealed packaging, all of which are gluten‑free by recipe.

Arizona Tea / Peach Tea Snapple / Nantucket Nectars Orange Mango: Shelf‑stable bottled teas and juice blends, and all of them contain no wheat or gluten ingredients, and they come factory-sealed for extra safety.

Now, it’s worth bearing in mind that aside from the factory-sealed bottles and cans, you ought to be extra careful with some of the drinks, particularly against any cross-contamination. 🧉

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To Sum Up

Overall, celiacs and folks with gluten intolerance might find it easier to simply avoid going to Potbelly, with how relatively few gluten-friendly menu items they offer right now. 🥪🍔🥙

Their signature and iconic subs and sandwiches lack gluten-free substitutes and alternatives, which thus forces you to pick between a fairly narrow section of Potbelly’s menu that’s actually safe.

On the bright side, at least their salads are really solid and reliable choices if you’re sensitive to gluten, as all of their salad dressings and toppings (except the croutons) are gluten-free. 🥗👍

Other than that, you could snack on some of their packaged chips and sides, and maybe enjoy the two shakes that don’t come with wheat and gluten ingredients, and perhaps a drink, too.

Still, on the whole, even if we remove cross-contamination from the equation, Potbelly’s fairly lackluster selection of gluten-friendly menu items means that I’m going to give it a pass. 👎

That’s especially in this day and age, where we’re seeing more and more sandwich shops offer gluten-friendly bread options, buns, and wraps, so there’s a long road ahead for Potbelly. 🌾

In the meantime, if you want recommendations on other restaurants that actually have a good selection of gluten-free items, make sure to stay tuned to us here at Great Without Gluten for even more celiac-friendly and gluten-free eating out guides! ✍📝

And, while you’re here, you might also want to check out my other eating out guides and some tasty gluten‑free recipes! If you’re craving other fast-food or casual dining chains and gourmet meals, do check out my other celiac-friendly, gluten-free dining out guides to Jack In The Box, Jersey Mike’s, Dairy Queen, Shake Shack, Cracker Barrel, Wingstop, Culver’s, Chili’s, PF Chang’s, First Watch and more! 🍔🍟🍗

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

As I was working on this Potbelly gluten-free menu guide, I found a few interesting questions across social media and community forums, so let’s try answering some of them here:

Does Potbelly have any gluten‑free menu items?

Potbelly does not offer any dedicated gluten‑free bun or bread option, so all of their signature sandwiches are off‑limits for strict gluten‑free diets. However, their chips, sides, certain shakes, and the drinks are naturally gluten‑free by recipe. For a quick gluten‑free snack, choose any of the chips, which are also pre-packaged for further reduced cross-contamination worries.

Which Potbelly soups and macs are gluten‑free?

Among Potbelly’s hot and hearty bowls, only the Garden Vegetable Soup is gluten‑free, as it is made without wheat, while these other soups (Chili, Chicken Pot Pie, Broccoli Cheddar, Loaded Baked Potato, Chili Mac, and Mac & Cheese) contain wheat flour or pasta. Remember that you should always request a fresh ladle to minimize cross‑contamination.

Are Potbelly shakes and cookies gluten‑free?

Most of Potbelly’s cookies and shakes contain wheat, though the Root Beer Float Shake and their Banana Pudding Shake are gluten‑free by ingredient. All of Potbelly’s cookies (Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Sugar Cookie, Chocolate Brownie Cookie, Dream Bar, Mini Cookies) and their shakes with cookie mix‑ins (Oreo, etc.) should be avoided if you’re celiac.

How can I avoid gluten cross‑contact at Potbelly?

Since Potbelly uses shared toasters, slicers, and prep surfaces for their breaded items, make sure you inform your server of your gluten‑free diet. You could also ask that the chips or soup be served in a clean bowl, request fresh utensils, and ensure their server-handled items (chips, shakes in sealed containers) are opened fresh for you, too.

Can I customize any Potbelly menu item to be gluten‑free?

Unfortunately, Potbelly doesn’t offer gluten‑free bread, wraps, or pasta alternatives, so their core sandwiches and macs can’t be made gluten‑free. Your best options are the un‑modified sides like Zapp’s chips, Utz Cheese Curls, hot peppers & pickles, their Garden Vegetable Soup, and select shakes and drinks that are gluten‑free by recipe.

Photo credit

Potbelly Sandwich Shop, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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