• Home
• Gluten Free Menu Guides

The Definitive Zaxby’s Gluten-Free Menu Guide For 2025

With a focused menu built around crisp, Southern-style fried chicken, our Zaxby’s gluten-free menu guide is here to help you avoid all that breaded gluten!

Southern comfort foods are some of my favorites in this massive culinary world that we live in, but as a celiac, it can be challenging to integrate their cuisine into my diet, given how glutenous it can be, with dishes made practically of wheat.

While it’s not impossible to make Southern comfort foods in a gluten-free way, it’s difficult, and that alone is enough of a deterrent for many restaurants to avoid catering to celiacs or anyone with severe gluten intolerances and sensitivities. 🚫🌾

You could see this from a mile away when you look at Zaxby’s, too. They’re one of the most popular Southern-focused fast casual restaurants out there, and much of their huge menu is built around breaded chicken fingers and bold sauces. 🌶️🔥

This is basically what they’re known for, and while this single-minded menu is great if you love crispy chicken, it also makes trying to be gluten-free quite tricky, with so many unsafe menu items like battered chicken and toasted buns. 🍞🍗🥪

Plus, Zaxby’s use of shared fryers and utensils further raises the risk of cross-contamination, even with the relatively few items on their big menu that are naturally wheat-free by recipe and ingredient, which you might be able to safely tolerate. 🤔

On that note, it’s not a barren wasteland for celiacs dining out at Zaxby’s, either, as there are a handful of safe dishes like grilled chicken combos, certain sides, and delicious sauces, and our Zaxby’s gluten-free guide is here to help you out!

---

Disclaimer

With that said, however, approach Zaxby’s menu with an abundance of caution, as the brand itself doesn’t operate a certified, dedicated gluten-free kitchen, and therefore, the risk of cross-contamination can be quite high. 👉🚫🌾

Remember that their menu includes a lot of breaded and fried items, and Zaxby’s kitchens commonly use shared fryers, prep stations, and shared utensils, along with other cookware, which is then shared with otherwise wheat-free items.

In other words, it means that even if you order a specific menu item that doesn’t technically contain any wheat in it, there’s no guarantee that it won’t be exposed to any trace gluten during the cooking and preparation process. 👩‍🍳🍴🔪

These hazards (at least, for celiacs) include wheat, as well as other glutenous components like malt, barley, rye, and/or oats. Personally, I’d treat even the safest menu items more like “gluten-sensitive” instead of 100% certified “gluten-free”.

Plus, to make things even more challenging for celiacs like myself, like most restaurants, Zaxby’s doesn’t test its menu items to meet the FDA’s super strict <20 ppm threshold for food and drink items to be labeled and certified gluten-free.

With that in mind, when you’re ordering at Zaxby’s, remember to inform the staff and ask if they could take extra precautions. And, to further drive the point home, here’s what Zaxby’s has to warn you about when it comes to cross-contact risks:

All Zaxby’s ingredient and allergen information was obtained from product vendors. Zaxby’s menu items are prepared on shared equipment and in a shared facility with menu items that may contain Milk, Eggs, Fish, Shellfish (Shrimp), Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Wheat, Soybeans (Soy), and Sesame.

---

Zaxby’s Allergen Policy (Gluten-Free)

But hey, at least Zaxby’s makes it super easy for you to filter through their extensive menu and figure out what you could safely order, and what you should avoid like the plague, and it starts by heading over to the official Zaxby’s website. 🌐

Once you’re on the homepage, just scroll all the way down, and in the website footer, you will find not one, but several icons that say “Nutrition/Allergens” or “Nutrition and Allergen Information”, so click or tap on any one of them. 🖱️📑

Doing so will open a new tab, where a PDF file will open or download, depending on which browser you’re using, and this is where you’ll find Zaxby’s nutrition and allergen guide, which includes some useful data that we can make use of:

• Nutrition – The first half of this PDF is dedicated to giving you an in-depth breakdown of the nutritional data for every single Zaxby’s menu item, including calories, cholesterol, total fat, sodium, carbs, fiber, sugar, protein, and lots more. While this isn’t going to help us filter the menu for allergens, it’s nevertheless handy if you’re trying to manage your dietary intake.
• Allergens – Meanwhile, the latter half of this PDF file is where you’ll find a detailed list of all the allergens that are included in each Zaxby’s menu item. This includes key allergens like milk, eggs, soy, peanuts, shellfish, and anything else you might be allergic to. For celiacs, of course, pay very close attention to any item that has “Wheat” and “Gluten” allergens in it.

---

Zalads

If you prefer something healthier and a bit lighter, rather than jump straight into a plate of chicken fingers or deep-fried chicken, Zaxby’s has a decent selection of salad bowls, though sadly for celiacs, every single one of their Zalads has wheat. 🥗

❌ Grilled House Zalad
❌ Fried House Zalad
❌ Garden House Zalad
❌ Grilled Cobb Zalad
❌ Fried Cobb Zalad
❌ Garden Cobb Zalad
❌ Grilled Asian Zensation Zalad
❌ Fried Asian Zensation Zalad
❌ Garden Asian Zensation Zalad
❌ Grilled Blue Zalad
❌ Fried Blue Zalad
❌ Garden Blue Zalad

Let’s check out what each of these salad bowls is made of to see why they’re so unsafe:

Grilled House Zalad: A bed of mixed greens topped with grilled chicken and standard dressings. According to the allergen guide, this salad bowl contains wheat or is handled on shared equipment, so it is unsafe for celiac diners.

Fried House Zalad: Mixed greens piled with breaded, fried chicken and crunchy toppings. The breading and shared fryers present ingredient-level gluten and high cross-contact risk, making this salad unsafe for anyone who must avoid wheat.

Garden House Zalad: Simple garden salad with mixed greens and vegetables. Although the vegetables are gluten-free by ingredient, this salad bowl is exposed to wheat during prep or contains wheat-containing dressings, so avoid this if you’re a celiac.

Grilled Cobb Zalad: Romaine and mixed greens with grilled chicken, eggs, bacon, and cheese. Despite grilled protein, the dish is marked as containing wheat or being prepared near wheat products, so it’s not safe for strict gluten avoidance.

Fried Cobb Zalad: Classic cobb-style veggie elements with breaded, fried chicken pieces and crunchy toppings. The battered chicken contains wheat, and the salad is handled on shared lines, creating both ingredient-level gluten and a high cross-contact risk.

Garden Cobb Zalad: A cobb-style salad built on garden greens with cheese and bacon. The allergen guide shows the presence of wheat via dressings, toppings, or shared prep, so this salad is unsafe for celiacs and those with severe gluten sensitivity.

Grilled Asian Zensation Zalad: Asian-inspired salad with grilled chicken, crunchy garnishes, and sweet-savory dressing. The garnish or dressing components and shared prep expose it to wheat, and it is therefore marked unsafe for strict gluten-free diners.

Fried Asian Zensation Zalad: Salad with breaded, fried chicken and Asian-style toppings. The fried chicken contains wheat and is prepared in shared fryers, making this salad an ingredient-level gluten risk and unsafe for celiac customers.

Garden Asian Zensation Zalad: Vegetable-forward Asian-style salad with dressings and crunchy toppings. Even without obvious bakery pieces, the dressing, garnishes, or shared utensils introduce wheat cross-contact, so the item is not safe for strict gluten avoidance.

Grilled Blue Zalad: Greens topped with grilled chicken and blue cheese elements. Despite being built around grilled protein, the allergen guide indicates wheat exposure in dressings, garnishes, or prep methods, making it unsafe for celiac diners.

Fried Blue Zalad: Blue-cheese-style salad finished with breaded, fried chicken and crunchy toppings. The battered chicken includes wheat, and the shared frying and prep increase contamination risk, so this salad is unsafe for anyone who must avoid gluten completely.

Garden Blue Zalad: Salad with mixed greens, blue cheese, and typical garden fixings. Zaxby’s allergen guide lists wheat exposure for this item via toppings, dressings, or shared prep. Therefore, it’s not safe for strict gluten-free diets.

All of these Zalads either contain wheat in the ingredients, breaded protein add-ons, or in the salad dressings themselves, or they’re exposed to wheat via shared-prep cross-contact. Either way, you’re better off ordering something else. 🍅🥬🥖

---

Sandwiches, Meals, Combos & Most Popular

Alternatively, if you prefer something a little bit more meaty and juicy, Zaxby’s has a huge variety of entrees, sandwiches, and combo meals. However, this massive chunk of their menu is built around breaded chicken and wheat buns. 🍔🥪🍗🔥

❌ Kickin’ Chicken Sandwich
❌ Grilled Chicken Sandwich
❌ Nibblerz Sandwich
❌ The Nibbler Sandwich
❌ Lemon Pepper Sandwich
❌ Signature Sandwich with Zax Sauce
❌ Signature Sandwich with Spicy Zax Sauce
❌ Asian Zensation Wrap
❌ Chicken Finger Plate
❌ Buffalo Chicken Finger Plate
❌ Boneless Wings & Things
❌ Buffalo Boneless Wings & Things
❌ Traditional Wings & Things
❌ Buffalo Traditional Wings & Things
❌ Boneless Wings Meal
❌ Traditional Wings Meal
❌ Big Zax Snak Meal
❌ Buffalo Big Zax Snak Meal

For context, let’s break these sandwiches and wraps apart to see what they’re made of:

Kickin’ Chicken Sandwich: A spicy breaded chicken filet that’s then served on a wheat bun with sauce and toppings. The breading and bun contain wheat, and prep uses shared fryers and toasters, so this item is unsafe for strict gluten avoidance.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich: Grilled chicken served on a wheat bun with lettuce and tomato. Even though the protein is grilled, the bun and shared toasting/assembly surfaces introduce wheat and cross-contact risk, making the standard order unsafe for celiacs.

Nibblerz Sandwich: Small, breaded chicken pieces served between a wheat flour roll. The Nibblerz use breaded chicken and wheat-based rolls, plus shared fryers and utensils, so this snack-style sandwich is not safe for anyone requiring strict gluten-free handling.

The Nibbler Sandwich: Bite-sized breaded chicken on a wheat roll served with sauce. Because the chicken is breaded and the roll contains wheat, plus shared prep areas, this item poses both ingredient-level gluten and high cross-contact hazards.

Lemon Pepper Sandwich: Seasoned chicken filet on a wheat bun with citrusy lemon-pepper seasoning. The bun and any breading or seasoning blends may include wheat, and shared prep surfaces and toasters create cross-contact, so this is unsafe by default.

Signature Sandwich with Zax Sauce: Breaded or grilled chicken on a wheat bun with Zax sauce. The default sandwich uses wheat buns or breading and shared assembly equipment, which makes it unsafe for strict gluten-free diners without verified substitutions.

Signature Sandwich with Spicy Zax Sauce: Chicken served on a wheat bun with spicy Zax sauce. The bun and any breaded components are ingredient-level gluten sources, and shared grills, toasters, and prep utensils increase cross-contact risk, so avoid this item.

Asian Zensation Wrap: Chicken and Asian-style toppings wrapped in a flour-based tortilla. The wrap contains wheat, and the sauces or dressings may include wheat-based thickeners, so this handheld is not safe for celiacs unless a certified gluten-free wrap is available.

Chicken Finger Plate: Breaded chicken fingers served with sides and dipping sauce. The chicken fingers are coated in wheat-based batter and fried in shared oil, creating both ingredient-level gluten and very high cross-contact risk for anyone with celiac disease.

Buffalo Chicken Finger Plate: Breaded chicken fingers tossed in buffalo sauce served with sides. The breading contains wheat, and the shared fryers and sauce stations increase contamination risk, making this spicy chicken plate unsafe for strict gluten avoidance.

Boneless Wings & Things: Breaded or sauced boneless chicken pieces often served with sides and sauce. The boneless pieces typically use wheat-containing breading or coatings and are handled on shared lines, so this menu item is unsafe for celiacs.

Buffalo Boneless Wings & Things: Boneless chicken pieces tossed in buffalo sauce, usually breaded. Breaded coating and shared fryers plus saucing stations introduce wheat and cross-contact risks, so avoid this order if you require strict gluten-free preparation.

Traditional Wings & Things: Traditional bone-in wings tossed in Zaxby’s signature sauces. While bone-in wings can sometimes be unbreaded, Zaxby’s prep and shared saucing tools could contact with wheat-containing coatings, thus contaminating them.

Buffalo Traditional Wings & Things: Bone-in wings coated or tossed in buffalo-style sauce. Even if it’s sauce-only, the shared handling, fryers, and prep tools create a cross-contact hazard, and Zaxby’s marks these unsafe, too, so they are not recommended for celiacs.

Boneless Wings Meal: Meal-sized portion of boneless wings with sides and bread. The boneless pieces are usually breaded and served with wheat-based sides or rolls, making the complete meal an ingredient-level gluten risk and unsafe for strict gluten-free diners.

Traditional Wings Meal: A meal bundle that includes bone-in wings and sides. The included sides or common prep practices introduce wheat via rolls, coatings, or cross-contact, so treat the full meal as unsafe for people needing strict gluten avoidance.

Big Zax Snak Meal: Large sandwich-style meal built around a breaded chicken filet on a wheat bun with sides. The primary components contain wheat, and the shared fryers and toasters increase contamination risk, rendering it unsafe for celiac consumers.

Buffalo Big Zax Snak Meal: Spicy variant of the Big Zax Snak on a wheat bun with sides. The bun and the breaded or sauced chicken, plus shared prep surfaces, present ingredient and cross-contact gluten hazards, so avoid this item.

Unfortunately, most of these items include wheat components, either in the breading for the fried chicken, the sandwich buns, or the wheat-flour wraps, or they might instead carry wheat via cross-contamination. Either way, they’re off-limits. 🌮🌯🥙

---

Boneless Wings & Traditional Wings

We now arrive at the heart of Zaxby’s menu, with a chicken wing lineup that mixes breaded boneless bites and classic bone-in wings, though most of their boneless flavors are unsafe due to their use of wheat-based breading and shared fryers. 🍗🐔

❌ Boneless Wings (No Sauce)
❌ Boneless Wings – Wimpy
❌ Boneless Wings – Tongue Torch
❌ Boneless Wings – Nuclear
❌ Boneless Wings – Buffalo Garlic Blaze
❌ Boneless Wings – HHM
❌ Boneless Wings – Sweet & Spicy
❌ Boneless Wings – Teriyaki
❌ Boneless Wings – BBQ
✅ Traditional Wings (No Sauce)
✅ Traditional Wings – Wimpy
✅ Traditional Wings – Tongue Torch
✅ Traditional Wings – Nuclear
✅ Traditional Wings – Buffalo Garlic Blaze
✅ Traditional Wings – HHM
❌ Traditional Wings – Sweet & Spicy
❌ Traditional Wings – Teriyaki
✅ Traditional Wings – BBQ

Let’s take a closer peek at these chicken wings to see what sets each of them apart:

Boneless Wings (No Sauce): Breaded, bite-sized chicken pieces that are coated in a wheat-based batter and fried. The breading is an ingredient-level gluten source, and the shared fryer and tongs create a high cross-contact risk for celiacs.

Boneless Wings – Wimpy: Lightly seasoned, breaded boneless chicken in a wheat flour coating and fried. It contains wheat by recipe and ingredient, and it’s cooked on shared surfaces, so avoid this if you require strict gluten-free handling.

Boneless Wings – Tongue Torch: Breaded boneless chicken tossed in a spicy sauce. The base is wheat-battered, creating an ingredient gluten hazard, and saucing is done on shared lines, adding cross-contact risk for sensitive diners.

Boneless Wings – Nuclear: Heavily seasoned breaded boneless chicken with a fiery glaze. The batter contains wheat, and they’re fried in shared oil, so this is unsafe for celiac diners and those trying to avoid gluten in their diets.

Boneless Wings – Buffalo Garlic Blaze: Breaded boneless chicken finished in a buffalo garlic sauce. The breading contains wheat, and the saucing process shares tools and pans, making this an ingredient and cross-contact risk.

Boneless Wings – HHM: Honey hot mustard style sauced breaded boneless pieces. The wheat-based breading makes this unsafe by ingredient, and the shared fryers and ladles increase the likelihood of cross-contact.

Boneless Wings – Sweet & Spicy: Breaded boneless chicken coated in a sweet and spicy sauce. The batter contains wheat, and the saucing and frying steps are shared, so this item is not safe for strict gluten avoidance.

Boneless Wings – Teriyaki: Breaded boneless chicken tossed in teriyaki glaze. Between the wheat batter and teriyaki components that can contain wheat, this is an ingredient-level gluten source and unsafe for celiacs.

Boneless Wings – BBQ: Breaded boneless chicken coated in barbecue sauce. The breading contains wheat, and the shared fryer and saucing stations create additional cross-contact risk, so avoid if you need strict gluten-free meals.

Traditional Wings (No Sauce): Bone-in wings grilled or fried and served plain. By ingredient, these are typically wheat-free, though shared tongs, fryers, and saucing stations create cross-contact risk, so request fresh utensils and separate plating.

Traditional Wings – Wimpy: Bone-in wings tossed in a mild seasoning. The ingredients are generally wheat-free, but confirm the seasoning and ask for clean tongs and a fresh plate to minimize any trace contamination from breaded items.

Traditional Wings – Tongue Torch: Bone-in wings finished in a very spicy sauce. The wings themselves are generally unbreaded and wheat-free by ingredient, but request separate saucing equipment and fresh gloves to reduce cross-contact hazards.

Traditional Wings – Nuclear: Bone-in wings with an extreme heat finish. Ingredient-wise, the wings are usually wheat-free. However, shared sauce bowls and dipping utensils can introduce cross-contamination, so ask staff to use clean tools.

Traditional Wings – Buffalo Garlic Blaze: Bone-in wings tossed in buffalo garlic sauce. The wings are typically unbreaded and wheat-free by recipe, but verify the sauce ingredients and insist on separate utensils and plating to lower cross-contact.

Traditional Wings – HHM: Bone-in wings with honey hot mustard style saucing. The protein is usually wheat-free by ingredient, yet shared sauce stations and ladles can cause trace cross-contamination, so request isolated prep.

Traditional Wings – Sweet & Spicy: Bone-in wings coated in a sweet and spicy glaze that contains wheat or wheat-derived ingredients. This is an ingredient-level gluten risk and should be avoided by those with celiac disease.

Traditional Wings – Teriyaki: Bone-in wings finished in teriyaki sauce. Teriyaki often contains soy and wheat, so this flavor is an ingredient-level gluten risk and unsafe for strict gluten avoidance.

Traditional Wings – BBQ: Bone-in wings tossed in barbecue sauce. The wings themselves are generally wheat-free by ingredient, but verify the sauce formulation and ask for clean utensils and fresh plating to limit cross-contact.

Otherwise, while boneless wings are out, the majority of Zaxby’s traditional bone-in wings are much lower risk by ingredient and recipe, except for only a couple that are mixed with wheat-thickened sauces. Still, be wary of cross-contact. 🐔🔥🌶️

---

Chicken Fingers

Another important part of Zaxby’s menu is their chicken fingers, though sadly, for celiacs, all of them are breaded and handled in ways that easily introduce cross-contamination, so it might be easier to just skip this bit of their menu. 🍗🔥🌶️

❌ Chicken Finger (No Sauce)
❌ Chicken Finger – Wimpy
❌ Chicken Finger – Tongue Torch
❌ Chicken Finger – Nuclear
❌ Chicken Finger – Buffalo Garlic Blaze
❌ Chicken Finger – HHM
❌ Chicken Finger – Sweet & Spicy
❌ Chicken Finger – Teriyaki
❌ Chicken Finger – BBQ

For comparison, let’s break these chicken fingers apart to see why they’re so unsafe:

Chicken Finger (No Sauce): Classic breaded chicken tender coated in a wheat-based batter and deep fried. It contains wheat by ingredient, and it’s prepared with shared fryers, tongs, and plating surfaces, producing a high cross-contact risk for celiac diners.

Chicken Finger – Wimpy: Breaded chicken finger tossed in a mild Wimpy sauce. The chicken is wheat-battered, and the sauce is applied post-fry. Ingredient and handling risks remain high because of shared fryers and sauce stations.

Chicken Finger – Tongue Torch: Spicy breaded chicken tender finished with Tongue Torch sauce. The batter contains wheat, and the spicy sauce is applied over shared equipment. This presents both ingredient-level gluten and cross-contact hazards, making it unsafe.

Chicken Finger – Nuclear: Heavily seasoned, breaded chicken finger with Nuclear sauce. The chicken uses wheat flour in the coating and is fried in shared oil. The combined ingredient and prep-line risks mean this is not safe for strict gluten avoidance.

Chicken Finger – Buffalo Garlic Blaze: Breaded chicken finger tossed in Buffalo Garlic Blaze sauce. The item is coated in wheat batter and handled on shared lines and sauce stations, creating both an ingredient-level gluten presence and a high cross-contact risk.

Chicken Finger – HHM: Breaded chicken finger finished in HHM sauce. The batter contains wheat, and the frying process uses shared oil and utensils. The sauce application adds more risk of cross-contamination, so this option is unsafe for celiac diners.

Chicken Finger – Sweet & Spicy: Breaded chicken tender tossed in a sweet and spicy glaze. The coating includes wheat, and the glaze is applied on shared prep surfaces, increasing the chance of trace gluten exposure and making it unsuitable for strict gluten-free diets.

Chicken Finger – Teriyaki: Breaded chicken tender with teriyaki finish. Wheat exists in the batter, and the teriyaki sauces sometimes include gluten-containing soy ingredients. Shared fryers, tongs, and sauce dispensers raise cross-contamination risk considerably.

Chicken Finger – BBQ: Breaded chicken finger finished in BBQ sauce. The chicken is wheat-breaded and fried in shared oil, and the saucing/assembly steps are done on common prep lines, so this item is unsafe for anyone needing strict gluten avoidance.

Again, all of Zaxby’s chicken fingers are breaded with wheat and then prepared on shared equipment, meaning that none of these are safe. Instead, you might want to check out the sides menu or the bone-in wings for anything remotely safe. 🍟

---

Sauces & Dressings

Whether you’re munching on a salad, a chicken wing, or a chicken finger, Zaxby’s selection of sauces is a core part of the dining experience, and thankfully, many of them are naturally wheat-free and quite safe, with only a few exceptions. 🥗🍔🥪

✅ Honey Mustard
✅ Ranch Sauce
✅ Zax Sauce
✅ Spicy Zax Sauce
✅ Tongue Torch
✅ BBQ
✅ Strawberry Sauce
✅ Wimpy
✅ Nuclear
✅ Buffalo Garlic Blaze
✅ Hot Honey Mustard
❌ Sweet & Spicy
❌ Teriyaki
✅ Blue Cheese Dressing
✅ Honey Mustard Dressing
✅ Lite Vinaigrette Dressing
✅ Ranch Dressing
❌ Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing

Just to make sure that most of these are actually safe for celiacs, let’s take a closer look:

Honey Mustard: Smooth mustard blended with honey and mayo-style components. By ingredient, it contains no wheat, but pumps and shared squeeze stations can transfer crumbs, so request a fresh, sealed packet or clean pump to reduce cross-contact risk.

Ranch Sauce: Creamy buttermilk dressing with herbs and garlic. The recipe is wheat-free by ingredient, though shared condiment pumps and ladles could introduce trace gluten, so ask for a sealed packet or fresh pour and separate utensils to minimize contamination.

Zax Sauce: Signature tangy mayo-based sauce with spices. Ingredient-wise, it doesn’t include wheat, yet cross-contact via shared pumps or dipping stations is possible, so ask for a fresh ramekin and confirm staff use clean utensils for celiac-safe handling.

Spicy Zax Sauce: Zax Sauce with extra chili kick and spices. There’s no wheat in the base recipe, but shared pumps and double-dipping can cause contamination, so remember to ask for a sealed portion or fresh ramekin and verify staff use separate utensils.

Tongue Torch: Very spicy vinegar and pepper-forward sauce used as a heat booster. By ingredient, it lacks wheat, yet shared bottles and pumps can harbor crumbs, so request a sealed packet or fresh pour to minimize contamination for sensitive diners.

BBQ: Classic smoky barbecue sauce used for wings and dipping. Some BBQ blends include thickeners, but Zaxby’s version is typically wheat-free by recipe. Still, ask staff to confirm ingredients and request fresh utensils to avoid cross-contact from other sauces.

Strawberry Sauce: Sweet fruit compote-style topping for desserts and shakes. The syrup base contains no wheat, yet shared ladles and topping bins further increase cross-contact risk, so request sealed portions or a clean scoop to keep it safe for celiac diners.

Wimpy: Mild, tangy sauce option served as a gentler heat profile. It doesn’t contain wheat by ingredient usually, but shared pumps and containers risk cross-contact, so ask for a fresh ramekin, and confirm clean utensils are used during prep to minimize contamination.

Nuclear: Extremely spicy sauce with intense chili heat for very bold diners. Ingredient-level wheat risk is low, but cross-contact from shared bottles and pumps is possible, so request a sealed packet or fresh pour to reduce any trace contamination.

Buffalo Garlic Blaze: Buffalo-style sauce with garlic notes used on wings. It’s typically wheat-free by recipe, though some industrial sauces include thickeners, so ask staff to confirm ingredients and request fresh utensils to avoid cross-contact during saucing.

Hot Honey Mustard: Honey mustard with a spicy finish, used for dipping. The base ingredients are generally wheat-free. However, shared pumps and dispensers can cause trace contamination, so ask for a sealed packet or fresh ramekin to be safe.

Sweet & Spicy: Sweet-and-spicy glaze often contains soy-based or wheat thickeners. This particular sauce contains wheat or wheat-derived ingredients at Zaxby’s, and is unsafe for celiacs, so avoid ordering unless the location confirms a certified gluten-free version.

Teriyaki: Soy- and sugar-based glaze that commonly contains wheat in the soy sauce. At Zaxby’s, this sauce contains wheat ingredients and should be avoided by anyone requiring strict gluten-free handling due to ingredient-level gluten presence.

Blue Cheese Dressing: Chunky blue cheese in a creamy base with herbs. The dressing is typically wheat-free, but the shared ladles and containers can cause cross-contact, so ask for a sealed packet or fresh pour and separate utensils to minimize risk.

Honey Mustard Dressing: Salad-style honey mustard with some tasty vinaigrette notes. Ingredient-wise, it contains no wheat, yet cross-contact at salad bars or shared dispensers is possible, so ask for a fresh pour and clean utensils to reduce trace gluten exposure.

Lite Vinaigrette Dressing: Light oil-and-vinegar dressing with herbs for salads. By recipe, this dressing is wheat-free, though shared pumps and salad stations risk contamination, so it might be safer to ask for a sealed packet or fresh pour and separate utensils for safety.

Ranch Dressing: Classic creamy ranch in a pourable format for salads. The dressing has no wheat ingredients by recipe, but shared salad bars and ladles can introduce trace gluten, so remember to ask for a sealed packet or fresh pour to avoid cross-contact.

Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing: Zesty citrus-based vinaigrette used on salads. According to Zaxby’s allergen guide, this salad dressing contains wheat and, therefore, it’s unsafe for celiacs, so avoid it unless staff can confirm a wheat-free recipe or provide an alternative.

All you need to do is watch out for the three sauces and salad dressings here that contain wheat ingredients–Sweet & Spicy, Teriyaki, Citrus Vinaigrette–and remember to always be on the lookout for shared pumps, ladles, and topping stations. 🍲🥣

---

Sides & Kids Meals

If you’re seeking something small and light, either to complement your entrees or maybe to keep the kids happy, Zaxby’s has a vast range of fries, bites, and other sides. However, they are a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to gluten. 🍟🌮🧀🔥

❌ Chicken Finger Taco
❌ Chicken Bacon Ranch Loaded Fries
❌ Fried White Cheddar Bites
⚠️ Crinkle Fries
⚠️ Tater Chips
✅ Cole Slaw
❌ Texas Toast
❌ Fried Pickles
❌ Asian Slaw
❌ Veggie Eggroll
❌ Kid’s Chicken Fingerz with Zax Sauce
❌ Kid’s Grilled Cheese Sandwich Only
⚠️ Kid’s Crinkle Fries
❌ Kid’s Goldfish Giant Grahams, Vanilla
❌ Kid’s Rice Krispie Treat

Most of these are unsafe, but just to be extra sure, let’s break them down one by one:

Chicken Finger Taco: Crispy breaded chicken strips tucked into a taco shell with toppings. The chicken breading and taco shell contain wheat, and cross-contact with fryers and tongs is likely, so this item is unsafe for celiacs.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Loaded Fries: Crinkle fries piled with bacon, ranch, cheese, and breaded chicken pieces. The loaded toppings and any breaded components contain wheat, and shared utensils increase cross-contact, so avoid this if you’re a celiac.

Fried White Cheddar Bites: Bite-sized cheese pieces coated in a wheat-based batter and then it’s deep-fried. The batter contains wheat, and they’re fried in shared oil, creating both ingredient-level gluten and high cross-contact risk, thus making this unsafe for celiacs.

Crinkle Fries: Classic crinkle-cut potatoes, seasoned and fried. Potatoes are wheat-free by ingredient, but confirm fryer practices since many locations use shared oil. Ask staff about dedicated fryers or request that they confirm the fry oil is not shared.

Tater Chips: Thinly sliced potato chips, usually seasoned and fried. Ingredient-level wheat risk is low, but chips can pick up crumbs in busy kitchens. Ask that fresh tongs and a clean serving container be used to further reduce any cross-contact risk.

Cole Slaw: Shredded cabbage and vegetables tossed in a creamy dressing. By recipe, this is wheat-free, though shared utensils or nearby breaded prep can cause contamination. Request separate serving utensils and a clean container to minimize trace gluten exposure.

Texas Toast: Thick-sliced white bread buttered and toasted on the grill. The bread contains wheat and is prepared on shared griddles and near other baked goods, so this item is unsafe for anyone requiring strict gluten avoidance.

Fried Pickles: Pickle slices coated in wheat batter and fried. The batter contains wheat, and the frying oil and baskets are often shared with other breaded items, producing both ingredient-level gluten and significant cross-contact risk.

Asian Slaw: Crisp shredded vegetables with an Asian-style dressing and crunchy toppings. Some versions include wonton strips or soy-based sauces containing wheat, and crunchy add-ins may be wheat-based, so treat this as unsafe unless verified otherwise.

Veggie Eggroll: Vegetables wrapped in a wheat flour wrapper and fried until crispy. The wrapper contains wheat, and these are fried and handled near other battered items, creating both ingredient and cross-contact hazards for celiac diners.

Kid’s Chicken Fingerz with Zax Sauce: Child-sized breaded chicken fingers coated in wheat batter and fried. The breading contains wheat, and shared fryers make this unsafe for strict gluten avoidance, so avoid unless a certified gluten-free option exists.

Kid’s Grilled Cheese Sandwich Only: Melted cheese between wheat bread grilled on the griddle. The sandwich contains wheat by recipe and ingredient, and the griddle is shared with other wheat items, making this unsafe for celiacs.

Kid’s Crinkle Fries: Small portion of crinkle-cut fries for kids. Potatoes themselves are wheat-free, but confirm that the fryer oil is not shared with breaded items. You could also request staff confirmation and fresh tongs for safer handling.

Kid’s Goldfish Giant Grahams, Vanilla: Packaged graham-type snack with wheat-based ingredients. The product contains wheat by recipe and ingredient, so it is unsafe for anyone requiring strict gluten-free meals.

Kid’s Rice Krispie Treat: Cereal and marshmallow bar made with crisped rice and often malt or wheat-containing additives. Many rice treats contain wheat-derived ingredients or are produced on shared lines, making this item naturally unsafe for celiacs.

Some of these sides and kids’ meals are safe by ingredient, though many others are made with wheat (breading, wrappers, or wheat snacks), or they’re prepared near breaded items. At least the plain fries, tater chips, and cole slaw are safe. 🍠🥔

---

Treats & Drinks

As with most restaurants, pretty much all of Zaxby’s beverages are naturally wheat-free, and they’re quite safe for celiacs, especially if they come in sealed cans or bottles. Still, be mindful of Zaxby’s wheat-containing desserts and treats. 🍪🍰

❌ Chocolate Chip Cookie
❌ Fried Cheesecake Bites
✅ Handcrafted Vanilla Milkshake
✅ Handcrafted Strawberry Milkshake
✅ Handcrafted Chocolate Milkshake
✅ Handcrafted Birthday Cake Milkshake
✅ Milk
✅ Chocolate Milk
✅ Apple Juice
✅ Sweet Tea
✅ Unsweet Tea
✅ Coca-Cola
✅ Dr Pepper
✅ Sprite
✅ Diet Coke
✅ Barq’s Root Beer
✅ Hi-C Flashin’ Fruit Punch
✅ Hi-C Orange Lavaburst
✅ Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
✅ Mello Yello
✅ Powerade Mountain Berry Blast
✅ Fanta Cherry
✅ Monster Energy Drink
✅ Peach Sweet Tea
✅ Peach Unsweetened Tea
✅ Handcrafted Lemonade
✅ Handcrafted Strawberry Lemonade
✅ Frozen Lemonade
✅ Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

Just to make sure that these are actually safe for celiacs, let’s take a closer peek at them:

Chocolate Chip Cookie: Classic baked cookie made from wheat flour, butter, sugar, and chocolate chips. This is an ingredient-level gluten source and unsafe for celiacs. Avoid them, as these are baked on shared trays and carry a high cross-contact risk.

Fried Cheesecake Bites: Bite-sized fried pastry made with wheat flour and cheesecake filling, often fried in shared oil. This is an ingredient-level gluten source and is unsafe for anyone requiring strict gluten avoidance.

Handcrafted Vanilla Milkshake: Creamy vanilla ice cream blended with milk to order. By recipe, it contains no wheat, but shared blenders and scoops can transfer crumbs, so request a freshly rinsed blender and a clean scoop to reduce cross-contact.

Handcrafted Strawberry Milkshake: Fresh strawberry or strawberry-flavored ice cream blended with milk. Ingredient-wise, they’re wheat-free, but shared blending equipment and topping stations can be a hazard, so ask staff to rinse the blender and use a clean scoop.

Handcrafted Chocolate Milkshake: Chocolate ice cream and milk blended to make a thick shake. The shake base is free of wheat by ingredient unless cookie mix-ins are added, yet shared blenders/scoops increase cross-contact risk, so request clean equipment.

Handcrafted Birthday Cake Milkshake: Ice cream blended with cake-flavored mix and sprinkles. By ingredient, this is typically wheat-free when no cake pieces are used, but sprinkles or cake add-ins may come from bakery lines, so confirm the ingredients first.

Milk: Plain 1% or whole milk served chilled. Milk is naturally wheat-free and very low risk as long as it is factory sealed or poured fresh. Ask for factory-sealed cartons or a fresh pour to avoid cross-contact.

Chocolate Milk: Ready-made or mixed chocolate milk in a carton or dispenser. Ingredient-level, it’s naturally wheat-free, but if dispensed from a shared machine, ask for a sealed carton or a cleaned dispenser to reduce any remote contamination.

Apple Juice: Factory-sealed apple juice pouch or bottle. Sealed packaging eliminates cross-contact risk, and the product contains no wheat, making it a very safe beverage option for celiac diners.

Sweet Tea: Brewed tea sweetened with sugar. By ingredient, it is wheat-free. If fountain or pitcher-served, request a freshly poured cup or a wiped dispenser nozzle to minimize any trace contamination from nearby bakery items.

Unsweet Tea: A plain brewed tea served chilled, and it’s naturally wheat-free by recipe. Prefer a fresh pour from a cleaned dispenser or a sealed bottle when available to avoid any remote cross-contact from service equipment.

Coca-Cola: Classic cola in bottle or fountain form that contains no wheat ingredients. Sealed bottles or cans are the safest option, and if it’s fountain-served, ask staff to wipe the nozzle before pouring for extra caution.

Dr Pepper: Carbonated spiced cola formulated without wheat. Bottled or canned service is the lowest risk. Otherwise, for a fountain service, request a wiped nozzle to reduce any unlikely cross-contact from adjacent syrup lines.

Sprite: Lemon-lime soda free of wheat by ingredient. Choose sealed cans or bottles for minimal cross-contact risk. Fountain pours are generally low risk, but ask staff to clean the nozzle if you are highly sensitive.

Diet Coke: A low-calorie cola with no wheat ingredients. Bottled or canned versions are safest, too. If fountain-dispensed, request that staff clean the nozzle to lower the chance of trace contamination from other lines.

Barq’s Root Beer: Root beer syrup and carbonation, formulated without wheat. Bottled or canned service is ideal. Fountain service is acceptable when staff wipe the nozzle before pouring to reduce remote cross-contact risk.

Hi-C Flashin’ Fruit Punch: Fruit punch syrup mixed with carbonated water, containing no wheat. Once again, having it sealed or a freshly poured service is safest. Ask for a wiped nozzle if ordering from a fountain dispenser.

Hi-C Orange Lavaburst: Orange syrup beverage free from wheat ingredients. Prefer sealed bottles or request a clean fountain nozzle for very sensitive celiac diners to avoid remote cross-contact from dispenser equipment.

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar: Zero-sugar cola with no wheat ingredients. Sealed cans or bottles are the lowest risk, as per usual. For fountain service, ask the staff to clean the dispenser nozzle before pouring.

Mello Yello: Citrus soda made without wheat ingredients. Bottled or canned versions minimize cross-contact risk. If fountain-served, request a wiped nozzle or fresh pour to reduce any remote contamination.

Powerade Mountain Berry Blast: Factory-sealed sports drink containing no wheat. Sealed packaging removes dispenser cross-contact concerns, making this a very safe choice for celiac diners on the go.

Fanta Cherry: Cherry-flavored soda with no wheat ingredients. Choose sealed bottles or cans when possible, and with a fountain service, it’s usually fine with a cleaned nozzle to minimize unlikely cross-contact.

Monster Energy Drink: Prepackaged energy drink sold in cans with no wheat ingredients. Factory-sealed cans make this a very low cross-contact risk and suitable for celiac diners.

Peach Sweet Tea: Peach-flavored sweet tea prepared without wheat. Ingredient-wise, it’s naturally wheat-free, but if poured from shared dispensers, ask staff to wipe the nozzle or pour fresh to reduce cross-contact chances.

Peach Unsweetened Tea: Unsweetened peach tea made from brewed tea and flavoring. There’s no wheat by recipe, but request a fresh pour and clean dispenser or sealed bottle to minimize cross-contact.

Handcrafted Lemonade: Freshly mixed lemonade with lemon juice and sugar. It’s also wheat-free by ingredient. However, blenders and pitchers may be shared, so ask for a fresh pour and cleaned utensils for sensitive diners.

Handcrafted Strawberry Lemonade: Lemonade blended with strawberry purée or syrup. Ingredient-level, it’s naturally wheat-free, but request clean blenders and utensils to avoid cross-contact with bakery toppings or crumbs.

Frozen Lemonade: Slushy-style frozen lemonade blended to order. No wheat ingredients are used here, but shared blender jars can carry cone crumbs, so remember to ask staff to rinse the blender before use to reduce cross-contact.

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade: Blended frozen lemonade with strawberry added. Plus, it’s also wheat-free by ingredient, yet the use of shared blenders or scoops could introduce trace contamination, so make sure to request freshly cleaned equipment when ordering.

While their beverages are mostly quite safe, barring any cross-contamination risks, Zaxby’s treats are made up of baked or fried sweets, such as the Chocolate Chip Cookie and Fried Cheesecake Bites, which are definitely not celiac-safe. ☕🍵🥤🧃

---

To Sum Up

Overall, Zaxby’s is another dud for celiac diners, with only a small sampler of safe options, including a handful of sides, dipping sauces, drinks, and some of their classic bone-in wings, too. That said, you still have to be wary of cross-contact. 🍗🔥

With a shared kitchen environment that’s predominantly used to cook and prep glutenous menu items, even the safe, wheat-free, and gluten-sensitive options can’t be guaranteed to be 100% safe, so an abundance of caution is advised. 🍲🥣🌶️

Besides, the majority of Zaxby’s menu isn’t catered to celiacs in mind, filled with breaded, crispy fried chicken wings and battered chicken fingers, in addition to wheat flour wrappers and sandwich buns that accompany their handheld items, as well. 🍔🥙

Not even their salad bowls are safe from the clutches of gluten, and their side dishes have been whittled down to just a couple of safe options. With that in mind, if you’re a celiac and are craving Southern comfort food, consider looking elsewhere. 🌾🚫👎

In the meantime, if you want recommendations on other restaurants with plenty 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 celiacs-friendly, gluten-free dining out guides to BJ’s, Maggiano’s, Carrabba’s, MOD Pizza, Little Caesars, Qdoba, Whataburger, Tim Hortons, Arby’s, In-N-Out, Del Taco, Noodles and Company, California Pizza Kitchen, Raising Cane’s, Baskin-Robbins, El Pollo Loco, Smashburger, and more! 🍔🍟🍗

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

---

Frequently Asked Questions

While working on this Zaxby’s gluten-free guide, I came across a few interesting questions floating around social media and foodie forums, so I thought I’d try and answer them here:

Is Zaxby’s gluten-free?

No. Zaxby’s doesn’t operate a certified gluten-free kitchen. Moreover, many of its menu items contain wheat–including breads, batters, cookie desserts, and some dipping sauces, as well as salad dressings–and there’s a very real cross-contact risk, so treat Zaxby’s as not reliably gluten-free if you have celiac disease.

What are the safest choices at Zaxby’s for someone avoiding gluten?

Some of the safer options would be factory-sealed drinks and the simple sides that don’t list any wheat ingredients (remember to double-check with the staff). Also, be sure to choose plain items that feature minimal handling, avoid any fried and breaded foods and bakery items, and request no toasted bread or bun.

Can I make a Zaxby’s order gluten-free by modifying it?

Only partially. You might be able to ask for no toast, no croutons, and to skip any breaded proteins, but most of their signature items are breaded or prepared near breaded foods. However, any special modifications can’t fully eliminate cross-contamination risks, and thus, there’s no solid guarantee that they’ll be safe.

How should I order at Zaxby’s to minimize cross-contact?

Inform the Zaxby’s staff that you have celiac disease, ask for fresh gloves and clean utensils, request that your food be plated separately and not near buns or shared fryers, and choose sealed condiments when possible. Also, remember to confirm any sauces or dressings for hidden wheat ingredients before you eat.

Where can I find Zaxby’s official allergen information for gluten?

Head over to Zaxby’s website, and scroll all the way down the main homepage until you find a link to their official nutrition and allergen guide. Clicking or tapping on this link opens up a PDF file in a separate tab or downloads it, where you can find a detailed breakdown of their menu’s nutritional and allergen data.

---

Photo Credit

Mjrmtg, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

---

Share the love!

Menu Search

Select a brand from the list below: -- Select brand -- Applebee's Arby's Baskin-Robbins BJ's Bob Evans Bojangles Buffalo Wild Wings Burger King California Pizza Kitchen Carrabba's Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen Cheesecake Factory Chick-fil-A Chili's Chipotle Costa (🇬🇧) Cracker Barrel Culver's Dairy Queen Del Taco Denny's Dunkin Donuts El Pollo Loco Firehouse Subs First Watch Five Guys Greggs IHOP In-N-Out Jack In The Box Jersey Mikes Jimmy John's KFC Krispy Kreme Little Caesars LongHorn Maggiano's McDonalds MOD Pizza Nandos Noodles & Company Olive Garden Outback Panda Express Panera Bread Pei Wei PF Chang's Pizza Express (🇬🇧) Pizza Hut Popeyes Potbelly Qdoba Rainforest Cafe Raising Cane's Red Lobster Red Robin Shake Shack Smashburger Sonic Starbucks Starbucks (🇬🇧) Subway Taco Bell Texas Roadhouse Tim Hortons Waffle House Wendy's Whataburger Wingstop Yard House Zaxby's

Gluten Free Menu Guides (A-Z)

Related recipes 🔗

No comments yet.