• Home
• Eating Out Guides

Ultimate Wendy’s Gluten-Free Menu Guide For 2025

For Celiacs craving fast food safely, our Wendy’s gluten-free guide covers salads, baked potatoes, bunless burgers, and more safe menu picks.

As a celiac, the idea of “gluten-free” and fast food is pretty much like trying to mix a barrel of oil in a tub of water: they’re incompatible with each other. But what about Wendy’s? 🍔🍟

They’re one of America’s most beloved fast food chains, famed for crispy chicken sandwiches, juicy burgers, deliciously greasy sides, or a healthy side of greens, and a nice, cold Frosty. 🍨

Alas, while Wendy’s is still a fantastic location for a convenient, speedy, mouthwatering meal, the same rules with fast food apply for celiacs and folks with severe gluten intolerances. 🍗

Just like most fast food chains, Wendy’s is a hellhole for celiacs like me, filled with wheat buns, battered items, or shared fryers, with not a whole lot to care for cross-contamination. 🌯🥙

Whether it’s a chicken sandwich topped with a wheat-based bun or the umpteen fried chicken nuggets and sides battered with wheat, Wendy’s lacks variety if you’re very sensitive to gluten.

Nevertheless, that’s not to say that you’re totally out of options, and our Wendy’s gluten-free guide aims to find gluten-friendly salads, chilis, baked potatoes, bun-less burgers, and more.

---

Disclaimer

With that said, however, it is worth bearing in mind that Wendy’s kitchens are not dedicated gluten-free spaces, and cross-contamination with any glutenous items is unavoidable. 🚫🌾

Remember that at Wendy’s, grills, fryers, tongs, prep surfaces, and other utensils and kitchen equipment are shared, even while they are preparing technically “wheat-free” items. 🔥🔪🍴

Moreover, Wendy’s doesn’t test their menu items, recipes, and ingredients to meet the FDA’s super strict <20 ppm threshold for something to be considered “certified 100% gluten-free”.

This basically means that even those items that don’t contain any wheat in the ingredients or the recipe might still pick up trace gluten and wheat via cross-contamination in the kitchen.

As such, you should ideally treat even the most “gluten-free” and “wheat-free” items here on Wendy’s menu more like “gluten-sensitive” or “gluten-friendly” instead, just to be extra safe.

In fact, Wendy’s themselves puts this disclaimer on their website when you order, just so you are 100% aware that cross-contamination is absolutely possible when ordering at Wendy’s:

We provide known instances of allergens; however, cross contact is possible due to common handling and preparation areas in our restaurants. We are unable to guarantee that any menu item can be completely free of allergens. Customers with allergies and sensitivities should exercise judgment when ordering.

So, be sure you order carefully, and if you have celiac disease, try asking the Wendy’s staff to swap to new gloves, use clean utensils, and a fresh work area to minimize cross-contact risks.

---

Wendy’s Allergen Policy (Gluten-Free)

On the bright side, at least Wendy’s makes it super easy for you to filter out their menu for all the items that you can’t safely order as a celiac or as someone who’s highly gluten intolerant.

It starts by heading over to their website, and if their Nutrition & Allergens page is anything to go by, Wendy’s doesn’t have a dedicated nutrition and/or allergens guide like most places. 📑

So, rather than a simple PDF file that lists out all the nutritional breakdown and allergens that can be found in each menu item, you’ll need to go to the official Wendy’s online menu. 👉🌐

• From there, all you need to do is click into any food or drink that you might be interested in to see what its nutritional breakdown looks like, in case you’re conscious about your daily intake.
• This includes a highly detailed list of all the calories, total fat, cholesterol, carbs, fiber, sugars, protein, iron, calcium, and so on, in precise measurements, in each and every menu item.
• On top of that nutritional data list, there’s another handy-dandy list that’ll be hugely relevant for our Wendy’s gluten-free guide, and this is the main allergens included in this menu item.
• Of course, if you’re a celiac or if you’re highly sensitive to gluten, be sure to avoid menu items with “Wheat” allergens in them, in addition to any other allergens that you might be allergic to.
• Additionally, aside from the allergens list and the nutritional breakdown, next to it, it’s nice to see that Wendy’s also provides the full list of ingredients that make up every single menu item.

This is another great way to filter out anything you can’t eat, so just CTRL+F and find anything here in this long list that you can’t eat, and as a celiac, this list includes (but is not limited to):

• Malt
• Barley Malt
• Barley
• Rye
• Wheat
• Wheat Flour
• Wheat-Based Breading
• Wheat-Based Batter
• Gluten
• Soy Sauce

Besides this, the ingredients list here also has warnings about cross-contamination that you’d have to be wary of, such as items being fried, cooked, or toasted using shared prep areas. 🌾

---

Hamburgers

There’s no better place to start off than Wendy’s huge menu of mouthwatering, superbly juicy hamburgers, but we’re already off to a bad start if you’re a celiac or are gluten-intolerant. 🍔

All of Wendy’s burgers come on wheat-based buns by default, though each patty could still be ordered bun-less (i.e., without the wheat-based buns) or even topped with a lettuce wrap. 🥬

However, even if they’re bun-less or come with a lettuce wrap, and are technically wheat-free, you still have to be very careful when it comes to cross-contamination during the prep. 🥓🍅

⚠️ Dave’s Single
⚠️ Dave’s Double
⚠️ Dave’s Triple
⚠️ Baconator
⚠️ Son of Baconator
⚠️ Big Bacon Classic
⚠️ Big Bacon Classic Double
⚠️ Big Bacon Classic Triple
⚠️ Bacon Double Stack
⚠️ Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger
⚠️ Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe
⚠️ Jr. Cheeseburger
⚠️ Double Stack
⚠️ Jr. Hamburger

For context, let’s break apart each of Wendy’s hamburgers and see what they’re made of:

Dave’s Single: A quarter-pound fresh beef patty topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, ketchup, and mayo on a wheat bun. Again, remember to order this with no bun or have it lettuce-wrapped to avoid the wheat, but still expect moderate cross-contact risk.

Dave’s Double: Two quarter-pound beef patties with cheese and standard toppings on a wheat bun. Ordering this bun-less removes the main wheat ingredient, but the patties are handled on shared grills and prep stations, so request extra precautions to minimize cross-contamination.

Dave’s Triple: Three beef patties stacked with cheese and condiments on that same wheat bun by default. So, ask for no bun or a lettuce wrap and request fresh gloves to reduce trace gluten exposure from shared equipment, especially if you’re highly gluten intolerant or are a celiac.

Baconator: Two beef patties layered with multiple strips of bacon and melted American cheese on a wheat bun. The patties and bacon are wheat-free by recipe, as long as you order it with no bun or have it lettuce wrapped, and shared surfaces create cross-contact considerations.

Son of Baconator: Smaller Baconator variant with a single patty and bacon, and once again, be sure to order it without the bun to avoid wheat, and ask the staff to keep your order away from bun-topped items during the cooking and prep process, in case of any cross-contamination.

Big Bacon Classic: Single large beef patty with bacon, cheese, and classic toppings on a wheat bun. As with the other burgers here, order this with “no bun” to make it bun-less, verify bacon handling in case there’s any cross-contact, and confirm that the condiments are wheat-free.

Big Bacon Classic Double: Two patties with bacon and cheese on a wheat bun by default, but it can be served bun-less or have it lettuce wrapped, but it still remains very risky owing to cross-contact due to shared grills and assembly areas, so be very careful when you order this.

Big Bacon Classic Triple: Three-patty version with bacon and cheese, but remember to remove the wheat-based bun to avoid wheat ingredients, and ask for clean prep to reduce the chance of trace gluten contamination, thanks to Wendy’s using shared prep stations and equipment.

Bacon Double Stack: Two smaller patties with bacon and cheese on a wheat bun, but be sure to order this burger without the bun (aka bun-less) or as a lettuce wrap, and request that the staff use fresh utensils during the prep process to minimize any potential cross-contamination.

Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger: A smaller single-patty sandwich with bacon and cheese on that same wheat bun like the other burgers here, but it can easily be ordered bun-less, and still prepared in a shared kitchen environment, so inform the staff about your dietary needs to be safe.

Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe: Single patty with cheese and deluxe toppings on a wheat bun, but be sure to request this with no bun and check that any pickled or sauce ingredients do not include hidden wheat, and as with the other burgers here, be wary of moderate cross-contact risks.

Jr. Cheeseburger: Basic single patty and cheese on a wheat bun, but to make it somewhat safe for celiacs and folks with gluten intolerance, remove that bun to avoid wheat in the bread, and ask for separate assembly to minimize cross-contact risks during the prep where possible.

Double Stack: Two small patties stacked with cheese on a wheat bun. Of course, like the other burgers here, you can order it with no bun for a lower-wheat option or get it lettuce-wrapped, too, and request fresh gloves and a clean work surface to limit potential trace gluten risks.

Jr. Hamburger: Small single patty with standard condiments on a wheat bun, and it’s simple to get bun-less or have it lettuce wrapped, but make sure to verify that all of the condiments and the handling are done carefully by the kitchen staff to reduce any unwanted contamination.

Just to be extra safe, be sure to remind the Wendy’s staff that you’re a celiac or have a severe gluten sensitivity, and ask for fresh gloves and a clean prep area to reduce cross-contact risks.

---

Chicken, Nuggets, Saucy Nuggs & More

If hamburgers aren’t your thing, then worry not, because Wendy’s has loads of poultry dishes that come in all shapes, such as their delectable chicken sandwiches and nuggets. 🍗🍔🔥

However, it’s not all good news for celiacs like me. On the one hand, most of Wendy’s nuggets and handhelds are made with wheat ingredients in the bun, breading, coating, or wrapper.

This makes most of Wendy’s chicken sides a no-go if you’re gluten intolerant. Nevertheless, at least their chicken sandwiches could be ordered bun-less or with a lettuce wrap instead. 🐔

❌ Takis Fuego Chicken Sandwich
❌ Nuggs Party Pack
❌ Spicy Nuggs Party Pack
❌ Spicy Chicken Nuggets (4, 6, or 10-Piece)
❌ Spicy Chicken Sandwich
❌ Classic Chicken Sandwich
❌ Grilled Chicken Wrap
❌ Asiago Ranch Classic Chicken Club
❌ Spicy Asiago Ranch Club
❌ Crispy Chicken BLT
❌ Crispy Chicken Sandwich
❌ Chicken Nuggets (4, 6, or 10-Piece)
❌ Honey BBQ Saucy Nuggs (4, 6, 10, or 20-Piece)
❌ Buffalo Saucy Nuggs (4, 6, 10, or 20-Piece)

Just to make doubly sure, let’s check out what’s inside each of Wendy’s chicken-based dishes:

Takis Fuego Chicken Sandwich: Spicy seasoned chicken fillet served on a wheat bun with sauce and toppings, but request “no bun” or a lettuce wrap to skip that bread, and the chicken breast is breaded with flour, making it a no-go, even with modifications to the sandwich bun itself.

Nuggs Party Pack: Large shareable box of breaded chicken nuggets fried in shared oil, but the breading contains wheat, and the fryer cross-contact risk makes this 100% unsafe for celiacs.

Spicy Nuggs Party Pack: Same as the above, though spicy, though once again, they’re breaded and fried with wheat flour in the coating, so avoid this if you have to be strictly gluten-free.

Spicy Chicken Nuggets (4, 6, or 10-Piece): Bite-sized breaded chicken pieces tossed in seasoning and then fried, but the coating contains wheat, and shared fryers increase cross-contact risk, so it’s not safe for celiacs or for folks with severe gluten intolerance or sensitivity.

Spicy Chicken Sandwich: Crispy or seasoned chicken on a wheat bun by default, though be sure to order this bun-less or “no bun” to remove the bread, or even order it with a lettuce wrap, but the battered chicken breast fillet itself contains wheat, so this remains off-limits for celiacs.

Classic Chicken Sandwich: The same chicken sandwich as the above, but not spicy, which has a breaded chicken breast fillet in the middle that’s been breaded with wheat flour, so even if you are able to order this bun-less or swap the wheat-based bun for a lettuce wrap, it’s still unsafe.

Grilled Chicken Wrap: Chicken and veggies rolled in a flour tortilla (wheat), and the wrap itself contains gluten, and the tortilla cannot be swapped at most locations, so avoid this completely if you need to maintain a strict gluten-free diet.

Asiago Ranch Classic Chicken Club: Club-style chicken with asiago and ranch on a wheat bun, and you can order this without the bun or with a lettuce wrap, though that chicken patty will be breaded with wheat flour batter, making this unsafe for celiacs even with those mods.

Spicy Asiago Ranch Club: It’s the spicier version of the club from earlier on a wheat bun, and while you could ask for no bun or a lettuce wrap, once again, that chicken breast patty itself would be breaded and battered with wheat flour, making it unsafe for celiacs regardless.

Crispy Chicken BLT: Crispy breaded chicken with bacon, lettuce, and tomato on a wheat bun, and like all the other chicken sandwiches here, the breading on the patty contains wheat, so even bun-less orders or lettuce wraps are hazardous because the coating itself has gluten.

Crispy Chicken Sandwich: Classic breaded chicken filet on a wheat bun, and while you could remove that bun or swap it out with a lettuce wrap to avoid the wheat bread, that battered chicken breast fillet contains wheat flour, and it’s also then prepared in shared fryers.

Chicken Nuggets (4, 6, or 10-Piece): Standard breaded nuggets with wheat in the coating and shared fryers (with shared fryer oil), so it’s not safe for celiacs and those avoiding gluten.

Honey BBQ Saucy Nuggs (4, 6, 10, or 20-Piece): Breaded nuggets tossed in a honey-BBQ sauce, where both the battered coating and the sauce may include wheat components or be prepared in shared equipment, so avoid this completely if you need strict gluten avoidance.

Buffalo Saucy Nuggs (4, 6, 10, or 20-Piece): Breaded nuggets coated in buffalo sauce, and the coating contains wheat, while also sharing fryers that add additional cross-contact risk, thus making this particular item unsuitable for strict gluten-free diets and celiacs alike.

Suffice it to say, celiacs aren’t going to find anything gluten-free on Wendy’s poultry menu, as all of their chicken dishes are coated with wheat-based breading, batter, or seasoning. 🔥🐓

---

Fresh-Made Salads

If you’re craving something a bit lighter and healthier, then maybe consider checking out your local Wendy’s salads menu, and compared to the other stuff here, they’re a bit safer, too. 🥗

All you need to do is be wary of the crunchy add-ons, such as croutons and their crispy onions, as well as being wary of the salad dressings to make sure there’s no hidden gluten there. 🍞

⚠️ Parmesan Caesar Salad
⚠️ Cobb Salad
✅ Apple Pecan Salad
✅ Taco Salad

Let’s check out what each of these salads is made of, just to make sure they’re actually safe:

Parmesan Caesar Salad: Romaine, shaved Parmesan, and Caesar dressing served with crunchy croutons. Make sure you order this without any croutons, confirm that the dressing has no wheat-based emulsifiers, and ask the staff to toss the salad in a clean bowl to reduce potential cross-contamination risks.

Cobb Salad: Mixed greens topped with grilled chicken, bacon, hard-boiled egg, avocado, tomato, and shredded cheese. They’re normally finished with crispy onions, so remember that you have to order this without crispy onions, verify dressing ingredients, and request separate prep to minimize cross-contamination.

Apple Pecan Salad: Crisp greens with apple slices, candied pecans, dried cranberries, and some crumbled cheese. This salad is wheat-free by recipe, but regardless, you should still ask staff to use fresh gloves and a separate bowl to be extra cautious about potential cross-contact.

Taco Salad: Seasoned beef or chicken over lettuce with tomatoes, cheese, and beans served with a side of salsa or dressing. The standard recipe is wheat-free, but confirm that crunchy taco shells or crispy add-ons are omitted and request separate prep if needed, as well.

Salads are usually a safe bet for celiacs in most restaurants, so long as you remember that the ubiquitous croutons are always a hazard, as well as be careful with the dressings. 🧀🥓🥚

---

Fries, Sides, Sweets & Bakery Goods

To complement your juicy Wendy’s burger, you absolutely can’t miss out on their sides menu, with a massive selection of fries, sweets, baked potatoes, and even bakery goods. 🍠🥔🍟

These fried and baked extras and breakfast items are mostly pretty safe, but there are a few glutenous landmines, as well as cross-contact risks, that you have to look out for! 🌶️🧀🥓

⚠️ French Fries
⚠️ Fuego Fries, Inspired by Takis
⚠️ Baconator Fries
⚠️ Chili Cheese Fries
⚠️ Cheese Fries
❌ Chili
✅ Sour Cream and Chive Baked Potato
✅ Plain Baked Potato
✅ Bacon Cheese Baked Potato
✅ Chili & Cheese Baked Potato
✅ Cheese Baked Potato
✅ Apple Bites
❌ Homestyle French Toast Sticks (4 or 6-Piece)
⚠️ Seasoned Potatoes
❌ Honey Butter Biscuit
❌ Sausage Biscuit
❌ Cinnabon Pull-Apart
❌ Oatmeal Bar
❌ Chocolate Chunk Cookie
❌ Sugar Cookie

Just to compare these sides against each other, let’s see what each of them is made of:

French Fries: Hand-cut or crinkle fries served hot. The ingredients don’t rely on wheat, but the fries are typically cooked in shared fryers (with shared fryer oil) with battered items. See if the Wendy’s kitchen staff are willing to swap to fresh, clean, uncontaminated cooking oil for you.

Fuego Fries, Inspired by Takis: Spiced fries tossed with Takis-style seasoning. All the seasoning and the fries contain no wheat by recipe, but once again, the shared fryers, fryer oil, and prep surfaces create a moderate cross-contamination risk for celiacs, so be mindful if you order.

Baconator Fries: Fries piled with bacon and melted cheese. The base ingredients aren’t wheat-based, but the fries are cooked and then assembled in shared prep areas, so confirm handling with the kitchen staff if you need strict avoidance, and maybe swap to using clean fryer oil.

Chili Cheese Fries: Fries topped with chili and melted cheese. While the fries themselves might be wheat-free, double-check with the Wendy’s kitchen staff about the chili that they are using, as their default Chili dish is made with wheat, and of course, be wary of the shared fryer oil.

Cheese Fries: Fries smothered in melted cheese. The standard cheese and fries don’t contain any wheat ingredients, yet the shared fryers and possible sauce thickeners introduce a cross-contact risk, so verify with the staff, and see if they could use fresh oil to minimize contact.

Chili: Hearty beef-and-bean chili served by cup or ladle. This item contains wheat ingredients and should be avoided by celiacs like me, or anyone following a strict gluten-free diet.

Sour Cream and Chive Baked Potato: Baked Idaho potato topped with sour cream and chives. There are no wheat ingredients in the standard preparation, making it a pretty safe, naturally gluten-sensitive choice for celiacs and folks with severe gluten sensitivity or intolerance.

Plain Baked Potato: A Simple oven-baked potato served with butter. Equally, there are no wheat ingredients in the standard preparation, which makes this one of the easiest safe options here at Wendy’s for gluten-free diners, though it won’t hurt to be mindful of cross-contact risks.

Bacon Cheese Baked Potato: A baked potato topped with bacon and melted cheese. All the base ingredients are wheat-based by recipe, though it might be safer to confirm that any added toppings and add-ons are actually wheat-free and gluten-free, especially the chili.

Chili & Cheese Baked Potato: Baked potato topped with Wendy’s chili and cheese. Just like the other baked potatoes here, the base ingredients contain no wheat items, but as Wendy’s base Chili dish contains wheat ingredients, double-check that they’re not using the same one here.

Cheese Baked Potato: A baked potato topped only with melted cheese. No wheat ingredients in the standard version, either, making this a decent gluten-sensitive choice, but if you are still a bit unsure, confirm the ingredients in the cheese toppings if you’re highly sensitive to gluten.

Apple Bites: Pre-packaged apple slices. This factory-sealed fruit has virtually no cross-contact risk and is a safe light side or kid’s option for celiacs, and it’s among the safest options here.

Homestyle French Toast Sticks (4 or 6-Piece): Breaded and egg-soaked toast sticks made from enriched wheat flour, which contains gluten and should be avoided by those on a strict gluten-free diet, or if you’re a celiac like me.

Seasoned Potatoes: Hash-style or seasoned potato pieces. The potatoes themselves are wheat-free, but these are often cooked in fryer oil shared with other wheat items, so see if the staff at your local Wendy’s is willing to swap to clean, fresh, uncontaminated fryer oil for you.

Honey Butter Biscuit: Flaky breakfast biscuit baked from enriched wheat flour. This menu item contains gluten, so it should be avoided by celiacs and those on strict gluten-free diets.

Sausage Biscuit: Biscuit sandwich with sausage on a wheat biscuit. The biscuit contains wheat and is unsafe for gluten-free diners, with no gluten-free substitutes or alternatives available.

Cinnabon Pull-Apart: Sweet bakery pull-apart made from enriched wheat flour and cinnamon sugar. Like all the other bakery items here at Wendy’s, it has gluten and should be avoided.

Oatmeal Bar: Prepped baked bar made with oats and wheat ingredients. Given that it comes with wheat ingredients, celiacs and folks with gluten intolerance ought to avoid this one.

Chocolate Chunk Cookie: Classic bakery cookie made from wheat flour, which contains gluten and is unsafe for celiacs, and sadly, there aren’t any gluten-free alternatives available.

Sugar Cookie: Bakery sugar cookie made from wheat flour, which features gluten and must be avoided, and unfortunately, Wendy’s doesn’t offer a gluten-free cookie option, either.

Aside from the baked potatoes, if you are planning on ordering Wendy’s fries, remember to be sure that they’re fried in clean, fresh, uncontaminated oil, untouched by any wheat items. 🍟

---

Croissants, English Muffins, Biscuits & Breakfast Burrito

For all my fellow celiacs wanting to dine out at Wendy’s, it might be best to avoid going there in the morning, as the entire breakfast menu is basically filled to the brim with gluten. 🌯🌮

Wendy’s breakfast bakery and the sandwich lineup are built around croissants, English muffins, tortillas, and buttermilk biscuits, and as tasty as they might be, all of them contain wheat. 🥙

❌ Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant
❌ Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant
❌ Bacon, Egg & Swiss Croissant
❌ Sausage, Egg & Cheese English Muffin
❌ Bacon, Egg & Cheese English Muffin
❌ Sausage & Cheese English Muffin
❌ Egg & Cheese English Muffin
❌ Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
❌ Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
❌ Egg & Cheese Biscuit
❌ Honey Buddy Chicken Biscuit
❌ Honey Butter Biscuit
❌ Sausage Gravy & Biscuit
❌ Sausage Biscuit
⚠️ Breakfast Baconator
❌ Breakfast Burrito, Bacon
❌ Breakfast Burrito, Sausage

Just so we know what to look out for in the future, let’s take a closer peek at each of these:

Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant: Buttery croissant filled with breaded chicken, some bacon, and maple glaze. The croissant and the breaded chicken both contain wheat flour, with shared prep surfaces further increasing cross-contamination risk, as if the dish itself isn’t already unsafe.

Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant: Flaky croissant with sausage patty, egg, and Swiss cheese. The croissant dough is made from enriched wheat flour, making this sandwich unsafe for folks who are trying to avoid gluten and celiacs alike.

Bacon, Egg & Swiss Croissant: Croissant sandwich with bacon, egg, and Swiss cheese. Because the croissant contains wheat and is baked on shared equipment, this is unsafe for anyone on a strict gluten-free diet, and for celiacs, too.

Sausage, Egg & Cheese English Muffin: Toasted English muffin with sausage, egg, and cheese. English muffins are wheat-based, making this a gluten-containing breakfast option that should be avoided by celiacs, as well.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese English Muffin: Egg and bacon served on a wheat English muffin with a bit of cheese. The muffin contains wheat, while the toasters and prep surfaces are shared, so this item is unsafe for gluten-free diners.

Sausage & Cheese English Muffin: Sausage patty and cheese on a wheat English muffin. The English muffin is made from wheat flour, so once again, this makes the entire sandwich very unsuitable and unsafe for celiac or gluten-free diets.

Egg & Cheese English Muffin: Simple egg and cheese on a wheat English muffin. The muffin contains wheat, so even without meat, the sandwich is unsafe for strict gluten-free needs.

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit: Breakfast sausage, egg, and cheese served on a buttermilk biscuit. The biscuit dough contains wheat and is baked alongside other wheat items, so you should avoid this completely if you’re a celiac.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit: Bacon and egg with cheese on a wheat biscuit. The biscuit here contains enriched wheat flour and shared prep increases cross-contact risk, making it unsafe for celiacs, like all the other biscuit-based items here.

Egg & Cheese Biscuit: Egg and cheese on a buttermilk biscuit. Because the biscuit contains wheat, this breakfast sandwich is not suitable for those of you who must avoid gluten.

Honey Buddy Chicken Biscuit: Breaded chicken patty with honey on a wheat biscuit. Both the breaded chicken coating and the biscuit include wheat ingredients, so this is unsafe for gluten-free diners, with no gluten-free alternatives or modifications.

Honey Butter Biscuit: Flaky, sweet biscuit brushed with honey butter. The biscuit dough here is made from enriched wheat flour and is fully off-limits for anyone on a strict gluten-free diet.

Sausage Gravy & Biscuit: Biscuits smothered in sausage gravy. The biscuit contains wheat, and the gravy may use flour as a thickener, creating a dangerous stew filled with gluten.

Sausage Biscuit: Sausage patty tucked into a buttermilk biscuit. The biscuit contains wheat, so this simple breakfast classic is rendered unsafe for celiacs and those avoiding gluten.

Breakfast Baconator: A hearty breakfast sandwich that usually comes on a wheat bun. Like the other hamburgers that we looked at way earlier, you could order this without the bun or as a lettuce-wrapped burger to remove the wheat-based bun, and you could ideally request clean prep surfaces and fresh gloves to minimize further cross-contamination risk.

Breakfast Burrito, Bacon: Bacon, egg, and fillings wrapped in a wheat tortilla. The tortilla wrap contains wheat flour and cannot typically be substituted, making this item unsuitable for strict gluten-free diets and for celiacs alike.

Breakfast Burrito, Sausage: Sausage, egg, and other fillings wrapped in a wheat tortilla. The tortilla, once again, is made from wheat flour, so avoid this you have celiac disease, more so since there are no gluten-free mods available.

With the exception of the singular breakfast burger here, which could be modified to become somewhat celiac-safe, the rest of Wendy’s breakfast menu is hazardous for any celiac. 🍔🍟

---

Kids’ Meal

For the young ones dining out at Wendy’s, they also have a small but hearty kids’ meal, but be careful if your kids have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, as not all of them are safe!

Wendy’s kids’ meals either include breaded or bun-based items, though the latter can still be modified to be bun-less or lettuce wrapped, but it does mean that nuggets are a no-go. 🍎🥛

❌ Kids’ 4 PC Nuggets
❌ Kids’ 4 PC Spicy Nuggets
⚠️ Kids’ Hamburger
⚠️ Kids’ Cheeseburger

Let’s take a closer look at Wendy’s kids’ meals to see what they’re made of:

Kids’ 4 PC Nuggets: Bite-sized white-meat chicken pieces coated in a seasoned wheat-flour breading, and it’s then deep-fried. As with the other nuggets that we looked at earlier, the coating contains gluten, and shared fryer oil further increases cross-contamination risks.

Kids’ 4 PC Spicy Nuggets: Spicy breaded chicken nuggets using wheat-based coating and fried in shared oil. Both the batter and the fryer handling create a high gluten risk, so avoid them if you need to be strictly gluten-free, or if you’re highly intolerant or are sensitive to gluten.

Kids’ Hamburger: Small beef patty with standard condiments served on a toasty wheat bun by default. To make this safe, be sure to order this burger with no bun or a lettuce wrap, and ask that the patty be cooked and assembled on a clean surface to lower any cross-contact risk.

Kids’ Cheeseburger: Small beef patty with cheese on a wheat bun. You could otherwise order this with no bun (i.e., bun-less), or have it swapped with a lettuce wrap to remove the wheat-based bun, and as always, make sure you’re on the lookout for any cross-contamination.

Alas, it looks like half of Wendy’s already-small kids’ menu is hazardous if your child has celiac disease, but there’s some hope with those burgers, if you remove or swap the wheat bun. 🥯

---

Frosty

To end your meals with a sweet treat, Wendy’s Frosties use a dairy base that is gluten-free by default, but many mashups and mix-ins (cookies, brownies, Pop-Tarts, toffee) contain wheat.

As such, quite a few of Wendy’s Frosties are downright dangerous for celiacs thanks to all the mix-ins and add-ons, so stick with the plain Frosties and simple swirls just to be safe. 🍦🍧🍨

✅ Classic Chocolate Frosty
✅ Vanilla Frosty
✅ Raven’s Blood Frosty
✅ Raven’s Blood Frosty, Chocolate
❌ OREO Brownie Twist Vanilla Frosty Fusion
❌ Pop-Tarts Strawberry Vanilla Frosty Fusion
❌ Caramel Crunch Vanilla Frosty Fusion
❌ Brownie Batter Vanilla Frosty Swirl
✅ Strawberry Vanilla Frosty Swirl
✅ Caramel Vanilla Frosty Swirl
❌ OREO Brownie Twist Chocolate Frosty Fusion
❌ Pop-Tarts Strawberry Chocolate Frosty Fusion
❌ Caramel Crunch Chocolate Frosty Fusion
❌ Brownie Batter Chocolate Frosty Swirl
✅ Strawberry Chocolate Frosty Swirl
✅ Caramel Chocolate Frosty Swirl

Just so we know what we’re dealing with, let’s break down each Frosty with a bit more detail:

Classic Chocolate Frosty: Creamy chocolate frozen-dairy dessert made from milk, sugar, and cocoa. The base contains no wheat ingredients, making this gluten-free by recipe, and avoids any cookie or brownie add-ins to keep it celiac-safe.

Vanilla Frosty: Smooth vanilla frozen-dairy dessert with milk and natural flavors. The base recipe contains no wheat, so it is gluten-free by ingredient, and once again, request no extra mix-ins and ask the kitchen staff to avoid cross-contact with bakery bits.

Raven’s Blood Frosty: It’s a promotional flavor that uses the standard Frosty base with added flavoring. The dairy base has no wheat ingredients, but confirm any extra toppings or mix-ins before ordering to avoid hidden gluten or potential cross-contamination.

Raven’s Blood Frosty, Chocolate: Chocolate variation of the Raven’s Blood promo using the chocolate Frosty base, instead. The base itself is wheat-free, but double-check for cookie or brownie mix-ins that might introduce gluten into this otherwise gluten-free Frosty.

OREO Brownie Twist Vanilla Frosty Fusion: Vanilla Frosty blended with brownie batter and Oreo cookie pieces. Both the brownie swirl and the Oreo fragments contain wheat, making their mixture pretty unsafe for celiacs and gluten-free diners, too.

Pop-Tarts Strawberry Vanilla Frosty Fusion: Vanilla Frosty combined with strawberry Pop-Tart pieces and puree. The Pop-Tart components include wheat flour, so this mashup contains a bit of gluten in there and it should be avoided on a strict gluten-free diet.

Caramel Crunch Vanilla Frosty Fusion: Vanilla Frosty swirled with some caramel and crunchy toffee, and toasted pieces. The crunchy mix-ins include wheat-containing bits, so this fusion isn’t safe for those avoiding gluten, such as celiacs or those who are highly gluten intolerant.

Brownie Batter Vanilla Frosty Swirl: Vanilla Frosty folded with a brownie-batter swirl. The brownie swirl contains wheat ingredients, so this swirl is unsuitable for celiacs like me.

Strawberry Vanilla Frosty Swirl: Vanilla Frosty swirled with strawberry puree. When prepared with only fruit puree and no cookie or pastry add-ons, this swirl contains no wheat, though it’s a good idea to confirm that there are no mix-ins, just to be extra safe.

Caramel Vanilla Frosty Swirl: Vanilla Frosty with a plain caramel swirl. Caramel sauce alone is typically wheat-free, so this swirl is gluten-free by recipe, but ask the staff to skip any crunchy toffee or cookie pieces, just to be on the safe side.

OREO Brownie Twist Chocolate Frosty Fusion: Chocolate Frosty base blended with brownie batter and Oreo pieces. Both add-ins contain wheat, so this fusion is unsafe for celiacs and should be avoided if you’re also highly gluten intolerant.

Pop-Tarts Strawberry Chocolate Frosty Fusion: Chocolate Frosty combined with strawberry Pop-Tart pieces and puree. The Pop-Tart fragments include wheat, thus making this entire mashup highly glutenous, and it’s not safe for strict gluten-free diets.

Caramel Crunch Chocolate Frosty Fusion: Chocolate Frosty with caramel and crunchy toffee pieces. The crunchy toffee bits contain wheat, so this fusion is not gluten-free.

Brownie Batter Chocolate Frosty Swirl: Chocolate Frosty swirled with a brownie-batter swirl. The brownie swirl contains wheat ingredients, rendering this item unsafe for those on strict gluten-free diets.

Strawberry Chocolate Frosty Swirl: Chocolate Frosty swirled with strawberry puree. When it’s made with just fruit puree only and no cookie or bakery fragments, this swirl is gluten-free by ingredient, but as always, it doesn’t hurt to verify that no mix-ins are added.

Caramel Chocolate Frosty Swirl: Chocolate Frosty folded with plain caramel swirl. Caramel is naturally wheat-free, so it is gluten-safe by recipe, provided that no crunchy toffee or cookie mix-ins are included.

While desserts are typically quite safe for celiacs, milkshakes like Wendy’s Frosties, with their many pastry add-ons or mix-ins, can be quite risky, and we can see loads of this here. 🍪🍩

---

Coffee & Beverages

Drinks are usually a pretty safe bet for celiacs dining out, and the same could be said with the beverages here at Wendy’s, from brewed coffee to bottled waters and fountain sodas. 🥤☕️

✅ Regular Hot Coffee
✅ Cold Brew
✅ Caramel Cold Foam
❌ Chocolate Cold Foam
✅ Vanilla Cold Brew with Cream
✅ Caramel Cold Brew with Cream
✅ Chocolate Cold Brew with Cream
✅ Cold Brew with Cream and Sugar
✅ Tangerine Twist Lemonade
✅ Pineapple Mango Lemonade
✅ All-Natural Lemonade
✅ Strawberry Lemonade
✅ Cherry Limeade Sparkling Energy
✅ Pineapple Citrus Sparkling Energy
✅ Coca-Cola
✅ Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
✅ Diet Coke
✅ Sprite
✅ Dr Pepper
✅ Diet Dr Pepper
✅ Barq’s Root Beer
✅ Fanta Orange
✅ Minute Maid Light Lemonade
✅ Hi-C Flashin’ Fruit Punch
✅ Unsweetened Iced Tea
✅ Sweet Iced Tea
✅ Pure Life Bottled Water
✅ Milk
✅ Chocolate Milk
✅ Honest Kids Fruit Punch
✅ Simply Orange Juice

Just so we’re 100% certain that most of these are safe, let’s take a closer look at each one:

Regular Hot Coffee: Freshly brewed coffee made from roasted beans and hot water. The brew contains no wheat ingredients, making it gluten-free by recipe, but remember to request a clean carafe or fresh pot if you’re especially sensitive to cross-contact.

Cold Brew: Slow-steeped coffee concentrate served over ice. The concentrate and water itself contain no wheat ingredients, and it’s gluten-free by ingredient. Once again, remember to ask that staff to use a clean pitcher or dispenser to minimize any trace contamination.

Caramel Cold Foam: Cold-brew or iced coffee finished with a whipped cold foam flavored with caramel syrup. The foam and caramel are normally wheat-free by recipe, but just to be safe, it wouldn’t hurt to confirm that no cookie or bakery mix-ins are handled nearby.

Chocolate Cold Foam: Cold-brew topped with chocolate-flavored cold foam that includes some brownie-batter sauce or mix-ins with wheat. This specialty foam contains gluten and should be avoided by celiacs or those on strict gluten-free diets, making it an unsafe exception.

Vanilla Cold Brew with Cream: Vanilla-flavored cold brew finished with some cream. The vanilla syrup and its dairy base are typically wheat-free by recipe, but request no bakery mix-ins and ask the Wendy’s kitchen staff to prepare this drink away from pastry stations.

Caramel Cold Brew with Cream: Caramel-flavored cold brew finished with cream. Caramel syrup and cream are generally wheat-free, but verify that there are no crunchy toffee or cookie pieces added at the bar to avoid potential cross-contamination.

Chocolate Cold Brew with Cream: Chocolate-flavored cold brew with cream. Chocolate syrup is usually wheat-free by recipe, but avoid this if the location uses brownie or cookie mix-ins in the station, and request clean prep. Otherwise, it’s quite safe for celiacs.

Cold Brew with Cream and Sugar: Simple cold brew served with cream and sugar. There are no wheat ingredients in the standard prep, making it a straightforward, lower-risk option if you’re a celiac, as well as for gluten-sensitive diners when made without mix-ins.

Tangerine Twist Lemonade: Citrus lemonade flavored with tangerine syrup. Lemonade recipes contain no wheat ingredients, but if it is dispensed from a tap, ask the staff to rinse the nozzle before pouring to limit any possible cross-contact.

Pineapple Mango Lemonade: Tropical-style lemonade with pineapple and mango flavoring. No wheat in the standard recipe is used, but confirm that the drinks station is not shared with any pastry mix-ins that could introduce trace gluten.

All-Natural Lemonade: Classic lemonade made from lemon, sugar, and water. There are no wheat ingredients in the basic recipe, and freshly made pitchers or sealed mixes can be very low-risk if you request a clean pour spigot.

Strawberry Lemonade: Lemonade blended with strawberry puree. When prepared with fruit puree only, this drink contains no wheat, but as always, make sure to double-check that you aren’t getting any trace gluten contamination.

Cherry Limeade Sparkling Energy: Sparkling energy drink with cherry-lime flavor. Pre-mixed or bottled energy beverages contain no wheat by recipe, and they’re also quite low risk for cross-contamination compared with on-tap mixes.

Pineapple Citrus Sparkling Energy: Pineapple-citrus flavored sparkling energy beverage. Bottled or sealed formulations contain no wheat ingredients, and they’re a very good low cross-contact choice versus some of the other fountain mixes here.

Coca-Cola / Coca-Cola Zero Sugar / Diet Coke / Sprite / Dr Pepper / Diet Dr Pepper / Barq’s Root Beer / Fanta Orange: Fountain sodas poured to order from syrup and carbonated water. Syrups contain no wheat, but ask staff to wipe the nozzle before dispensing to reduce cross-contact.

Minute Maid Light Lemonade / Hi-C Flashin’ Fruit Punch: Fountain or pre-mixed fruit beverages with no wheat by recipe. Sealed mixes or freshly made pitchers are typically safe, but request a clean spigot if you want to be extra sure there’s no cross-contamination.

Unsweetened Iced Tea / Sweet Iced Tea: Brewed tea served over ice (sweetened if requested). Tea leaves and brewed tea contain no wheat, and it’s not a bad idea to ask for a clean drinks dispenser head to avoid syrup carryover between flavors.

Pure Life Bottled Water / Honest Kids Fruit Punch / Simply Orange Juice: Factory-sealed drinks with virtually zero cross-contact risk, and these are among the safest drink choices here if you are a celiac or have severe gluten intolerance, as the packaging is sealed at the factory.

Milk / Chocolate Milk: Milk and flavored milk in a carton or portioned out. Milk contains no wheat ingredients by recipe, but if you want to be sure, check that the chocolate milk hasn’t had cookie or brownie mix-ins added at the service station, especially if you’re very sensitive.

The same safety tips apply to any restaurant when it comes to drinks, and that’ll be making absolutely sure you’re only dealing with clean nozzles, spigots, and drink dispensers. 🧃🍵

---

To Sum Up

On a scale of 1 to 10 on the riskiness scale, I’d rate Wendy’s a solid 7 or 8, meaning that it can be very dangerous for celiacs to dine out here. Sure, you do have a few “safe” options. 🍟🥔

Some of Wendy’s salads are safe, as are their potato-based dishes, such as baked potatoes or their fries, so long as you’re wary about using unclean, contaminated fryer oil with the latter.

Plus, all of their burgers, except their chicken sandwiches and anything else that comes with a chicken patty, as they’re all breaded and battered with flour, can be modified to be safe, too.

Swapping out the default wheat bun with a lettuce wrap, or opting to go with no bun at all, is possible at most Wendy’s locations, but otherwise, most of their entire menu is a no-go for celiacs. 🍔

Additionally, while their few “safe” options technically contain no wheat or gluten ingredients, the level of cross-contamination is a bit too much for me to really consider dining out here.

Whether it’s using shared fryer oil for their fries, or shared shelf space and prep stations that’ll handle your hamburger, dining out at Wendy’s as a celiac requires an abundance of caution!

In the meantime, if you want recommendations on other restaurants that at least have a good amount 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 Wingstop, Culver’s, Chili’s, PF Chang’s, First Watch, Potbelly, Red Lobster, Yard House, LongHorn, Pei Wei, and more! 🍔🍟🍗

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

---

Frequently Asked Questions

While I was writing this Wendy’s gluten-free guide, I came across a few interesting questions floating around social media and some community forums, so here’s what I think of them:

What’s actually on the Wendy’s gluten-free menu?

Wendy’s doesn’t have a gluten-free menu, though there are a couple of items that are wheat-free by recipe, such as their baked potatoes, some salads, a few of their plain Frosties, drinks, but that’s about it. Their fries are also naturally wheat-free, but I’d advise caution, as they are then cooked in shared fryers (likely using contaminated fryer oil).

Plus, most of Wendy’s tasty burgers can also be modified to be wheat-free by ordering them without the bun, or swapping out the bun for a lettuce wrap, but once again, cross-contamination can be quite serious.

Are Wendy’s fries gluten-free?

All of Wendy’s French fries are naturally made without any wheat ingredients. However, they are then cooked in shared fryers (using shared fryer oil) that might’ve come into contact with other fried items that have been breaded or battered with wheat.

This much contamination is hazardous to some celiacs, so if you’re planning on ordering Wendy’s fries, try asking some of the local staff about the level of cross-contact in the oil. Or, if they’re willing, they might swap out the fryer oil for a clean batch to cook your fries, which haven’t been cross-contaminated.

Is the Wendy’s Frosty gluten-free?

Not all of Wendy’s Frosty desserts are naturally wheat-free and gluten-free. Most of the plain Frosties, such as the basic Chocolate and Vanilla-based Frosty bases, are gluten-free by ingredient, thus making a plain Frosty quite safe.

However, all of Wendy’s more complicated Frosties, such as their Fusion, Twist, or Swirl concoctions, come with mix-ins that may include wheat-based pastries and bakery goods, such as brownies, Oreo, Pop-Tarts, toffee, or cookie pieces. On top of that, even their plain Frosty desserts could still carry cross-contact risks.

How should I order at Wendy’s to minimize gluten risk?

If you’re ordering a hamburger, avoid any of their chicken sandwiches or their other chicken-based burgers, as the chicken patty is likely to have been breaded or battered with wheat. So, sticking with meat-based hamburgers only, be very careful with cross-contamination, and be sure to either order your burger without the standard wheat-based bun (i.e., have it bun-less) or consider swapping out the bun for a lettuce wrap.

If you’re ordering a salad, instead, make sure you ask the staff to omit any croutons or crispy onions, as they contain wheat, as well.

Does Wendy’s have a gluten-free kitchen or guaranteed cross-contact controls?

No, Wendy’s restaurants don’t operate dedicated gluten-free kitchens, and most items would be prepared using shared equipment, including shared grills, fryers, tongs, as well as any prep and cooking stations elsewhere.

This means that you are dealing with at least some moderate risk of cross-contamination with trace gluten affecting even those menu items that don’t have any wheat ingredients as standard. As such, you should be quite cautious when ordering, and maybe let the Wendy’s staff know about your specific dietary restrictions, just to be safe.

Photo credit

Hullian111, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

---

Share the love!

Related recipes 🔗

No comments yet.