The Complete Bob Evans Gluten-Free Menu Guide For 2025
If you’re craving country-style comfort food without any glutenous hazards, our Bob Evans gluten-free guide breaks down which homestyle meals are safe.
Bob Evans is where you can find an abundance of home-made breakfasts, steaks, hearty sides, and more, and it’s the sort of food that can be comforting and tricky, especially for celiacs. 🥞
For folks with severe gluten intolerance or sensitivities, as well, Southern-style cuisine has way too many gluten landmines that you’ll have to avoid, and the same can be said for Bob Evans.
Most of its menu relies on wheat, including some of its signature items, like biscuits, batters, gravies, and sauces, not to mention the fried platters, many desserts, and bakery goods. 🍪
Additionally, Bob Evans’ sandwiches, burgers, salads, and more contain enough wheat to get you sent straight to the ER if you are a celiac, but not all hope is entirely lost just yet. 🍔🥪
Look closely, and you’ll find a small handful of naturally wheat-free sides, proteins, and some breakfast entrees, though you’ll still have to deal with the risk of cross-contamination. 🥩🍖
So, with that in mind, follow along, as our Bob Evans gluten-free menu guide is here to walk you through this glutenous minefield, and uncover which of Bob Evans’ dishes are safe! 🥓
Table of Contents
Disclaimer
With that said, it is worth bearing in mind that Bob Evans does not operate dedicated gluten-free kitchens or facilities, meaning that cross-contamination remains a possibility. 👉🚫🌾
Besides, Bob Evans explicitly warns that their kitchens use common fryers, shared prep areas, in addition to shared equipment and utensils, further raising the risk of cross-contact. 🍞🔪
As such, even if you order something at Bob Evans that doesn’t technically contain any wheat in the recipe or ingredients, it’s not a guarantee that it won’t pick up trace gluten exposure.
For context, here’s what Bob Evans has to say about cross-contamination, which you can find on the header section of the official Bob Evans allergen guide (more on that in a bit):
While we have carefully reviewed our ingredients to inform our customers of foods that contain an allergen as part of the ingredient list, we cannot guarantee that cross-contact with other foods will not occur during preparation (i.e., use of common fryer), or that any menu item can be completely free of allergens.
Moreover, as far as I’m aware, Bob Evans doesn’t test their menu items, recipes, suppliers, or ingredients to meet the FDA’s strict <20 ppm threshold for food or drinks to be “gluten-free”.
Therefore, just to be on the safe side, you should treat even the most wheat-free and “gluten-free” menu items at Bob Evans to be more like “gluten-sensitive” or “gluten-friendly” instead.
If you have celiac disease or any other allergies or intolerances, you should definitely inform a server and ask them to take extra precautions, like using fresh gloves or a clean prep area. ❗
Bob Evans Allergen Policy (Gluten-Free)
On the bright side, at least Bob Evans makes it super easy for you to filter out their menu and then figure out what’s safe for you to order, and it starts by heading to the Bob Evans website.
Once you’re on the main Bob Evans homepage, scroll all the way down and click or tap on the tiny button that reads “Nutrition and Allergen”, way in the footer section of the website. 🌐
This now opens up a new page, and here’s where you’ll find the official Bob Evans Nutrition & Allergen Information page, which includes a few pretty useful links that will come in handy.
Focusing on the Nutrition side of things, there are 5 separate links here for each of their menu sections, providing you with a detailed nutritional breakdown for every item on those menus:
This isn’t going to be practical for us right now, but it might be useful if you’re very conscious about your dietary intake, or you want to be mindful of what or how much you’re eating. 😋
Each of those PDF files provides an in-depth breakdown of what’s inside each item, such as the calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, fiber, sugar, protein, and more that you can tally up.
Moving on from that, there’s another link on the Nutrition & Allergen Information page that’ll give you an idea of what’s safe to order if you’re allergic to anything, and that’s the first link.
- Clicking this upper-most link opens up the Bob Evans Allergen Guide, and this is where you can find out which menu items contain any one of the 9 major allergens that you’d want to avoid.
- Of course, as a celiac, pay close attention to the “Wheat/Gluten” column, and basically avoid any menu item that has a ✖️ symbol in this column, as it’ll have wheat and gluten allergens.
- At the very top of the PDF file, you’ll also find another disclaimer from Bob Evans, which now states that owing to shared fryer and (soybean) fryer oil, be wary of cross-contamination. ❗
Aside from that, remember to check in every once in a while, as this PDF file will get updated periodically as Bob Evans changes menu items, recipes, ingredients, or even suppliers. 📑✍️
Breakfast
There’s no better place to start off than breakfast, and Bob Evans has a huge selection, which includes pancakes, biscuits, bacon, and hearty platters, though most of them contain wheat.
Any of the signature combos and main breakfast entrees that feature biscuits, pancakes, and gravy are off-limits, though some of the plain proteins and simple sides are pretty safe. 🥞🥓
❌ The Big Wrangler Breakfast
❌ Big Griddle Stacker Platter
❌ Caramel Apple Farmer’s Choice
❌ Farmhand Biscuit Sandwich Platter
❌ The Original Farmer’s Choice
❌ Double Meat Farmer’s Choice
❌ Banana Berry Farmer
❌ Rise & Shine
❌ Homestead Farmer
❌ The Whole Hog
❌ The Everything Breakfast
❌ The Big Egg Breakfast
❌ Country-Fried Steak & Farm-Fresh Eggs
⚠️ Steak Tips & Eggs
❌ Buttermilk Breakfast Sandwich
❌ Griddle Stacker
❌ Country Biscuit Breakfast
❌ Mini Sampler
⚠️ Blue Ribbon Bacon
❌ Cinna-Biscuits
❌ Sausage Gravy & Biscuits
⚠️ Sausage Links
⚠️ Hardwood-Smoked Bacon
⚠️ Chicken Sausage
⚠️ Sausage Patties
⚠️ Hickory-Smoked Ham
⚠️ Shredded Hash Browns
⚠️ Golden Brown Home Fries
For comparison, let’s dive even deeper into what each of these breakfast items is made of:
The Big Wrangler Breakfast: A large breakfast platter that features biscuits or pancakes, eggs, and sides. This dish carries wheat via those biscuits and the pancakes, and also likely wheat-thickened gravy or batter components, making this dish unsafe for celiacs.
Big Griddle Stacker Platter: Pancake-and-breakfast-meat stack often served with syrup and eggs. The pancakes contain wheat flour, thus making this dish unsafe for anyone avoiding gluten, and you can’t easily modify this dish to omit the pancakes, as well.
Caramel Apple Farmer’s Choice: Seasonal pancake or French-toast style entrée with some caramelized apples, which includes wheat in the pancake and the bread component, and is therefore not celiac-safe, including those with severe gluten intolerance.
Farmhand Biscuit Sandwich Platter: Biscuit sandwich with eggs and meat, and the biscuit is made from enriched wheat flour, so this is unsafe for gluten-free diets and celiacs, too. Even if you’re able to somehow modify this dish, the cross-contact risks alone are not worth it.
The Original Farmer’s Choice: Classic plate that usually includes pancakes or biscuits, eggs, and meat, which contains wheat in the breads, so avoid this dish you need to be gluten-free, and if you’re a celiac or have a severe gluten intolerance or sensitivity.
Double Meat Farmer’s Choice: Large breakfast with two meats plus pancakes and biscuits, and once again, the bread components contain wheat, which makes this unsafe for celiacs. While it is possible to choose other sides, most of them are wheat-based, anyway.
Banana Berry Farmer: Fruit-topped pancakes or a stack served with sides, and those pancakes contain wheat, so this item is not safe for gluten-free diners.
Rise & Shine: Traditional breakfast combo with biscuits or pancakes included, which contains wheat-based components, so avoid this on strict gluten-free diets.
Homestead Farmer: Hearty breakfast featuring biscuits or pancakes and sides, though wheat is present in the bread and the pancake sides that come with the dish, making it unsafe.
The Whole Hog: Big platter with breakfast meats and either a choice of pancakes or biscuits, which includes wheat in the baked and griddled items that renders it unsafe for celiacs.
The Everything Breakfast: Combines pancakes, biscuits, or other breads with eggs and meat, but the presence of wheat makes it unsuitable for strict gluten-free diets and celiacs.
The Big Egg Breakfast: Large egg-focused plate typically served with toast, pancakes, or a side of biscuits, though the presence of wheat in those sides makes it unsafe by default.
Country-Fried Steak & Farm-Fresh Eggs: Steak breaded and country-fried in wheat-based batter, which is also often served with gravy thickened with flour, and it’s not safe for celiacs.
Steak Tips & Eggs: Grilled or seared steak tips served with eggs, which are prepared without breading, so this is a good gluten-sensitive choice, but just to be on the safe side, ask for no sauce or gravy, and request separate prep to further minimize cross-contamination risks.
Buttermilk Breakfast Sandwich: Egg and meat on a buttermilk biscuit, but like all the other biscuits here, this biscuit contains wheat, so this sandwich is unsafe for gluten-free diets.
Griddle Stacker: Multi-layer pancake, meat, and egg stack built on pancakes or griddle breads, which contain wheat, so avoid this dish completely if you must be gluten-free.
Country Biscuit Breakfast: Biscuit-centered breakfast with sausage and your choice of gravy or eggs, though the buttermilk biscuit and the gravy are wheat-based, so this is unsafe.
Mini Sampler: A Small tasting platter that usually includes biscuit, pancake, or breaded items, and as you might imagine, they contain wheat components and are not safe for celiacs.
Blue Ribbon Bacon: Plate of hardwood-smoked bacon served plain. Bacon is naturally wheat-free by ingredient, so if you order this with plain eggs or a baked potato, you could easily keep this meal gluten-sensitive and celiac-safe, too.
Cinna-Biscuits: Sweet, cinnamon-coated biscuits made with enriched wheat flour, which does contain gluten components, and as a result, they’re unsafe for celiacs.
Sausage Gravy & Biscuits: Buttermilk biscuits smothered in a wheat flour-thickened sausage gravy, and both of these components contain wheat, so avoid completely if you’re a celiac.
Sausage Links: Simple pork sausage links with no breading, and recipe-wise, they’re wheat-free, though confirm that there are no fillers with wheat, and maybe even request separate prep to further minimize cross-contamination risks.
Hardwood-Smoked Bacon: Smoked bacon cured and sliced, and it’s also gluten-free by ingredient. Just make sure you ask for fresh tongs and request separate plating to further reduce any potential cross-contamination risk.
Chicken Sausage: Unbreaded chicken sausage links, which are typically gluten-free by recipe, though processed meats occasionally have fillers, so double-check the ingredients and ask the staff if you’re unsure about what it’s made of.
Sausage Patties: Grilled sausage patties with no batter, and they’re also usually free of any wheat ingredients, though it won’t hurt to double-check for any wheat fillers.
Hickory-Smoked Ham: Sliced ham, which is naturally wheat-free by ingredient when it’s served plain, and it’s also quite safe as long as no glazes with wheat are added.
Shredded Hash Browns: Grated potato cooked on the griddle, and while the potatoes are gluten-free by recipe, they may share surfaces with pancakes or breaded items, so ask for separate prep if you’re highly sensitive to gluten.
Golden Brown Home Fries: Chunked or diced potatoes seasoned and pan-fried, and while the potatoes themselves contain no wheat, confirm that they aren’t finished in a wheat-thickened gravy or shared batter oil that might contain gluten.
So far, it’s a bit of a mixed start with Bob Evans’ breakfast menu, with only plain entrees and some of their simple sides being celiac-safe, but be careful with cross-contamination. 🥔🌭
Omelets & Bowls
For a taste of some eggy perfection, you can’t miss Bob Evan’s omelets and egg bowls, but be careful when picking your sides, even though most of these are technically wheat-free. 🍳🥚
⚠️ Rio Grande Omelet
⚠️ Fresh Start Omelet
⚠️ Steak Tips Omelet
⚠️ Build Your Own Omelet
⚠️ Western Omelet
❌ Sunshine Skillet
Just to make extra sure we didn’t miss anything, let’s take a closer look at each one in detail:
Rio Grande Omelet: Three-egg omelet filled with peppers, onions, cheese, and some salsa-style toppings. The omelets are made without wheat by recipe, but remember to order this without a side of wheat-based toast and request separate prep to minimize cross-contamination.
Fresh Start Omelet: Veggie-forward omelet with spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, and cheese. The omelet itself is gluten-free by ingredients, and once again, ask for no toast and for the staff to use a clean pan or utensils, especially if you’re highly sensitive to gluten.
Steak Tips Omelet: Egg omelet folded around chopped steak tips and cheese. By recipe, it does not contain any wheat ingredients, but double-check the steak marinade and request separate prep to further minimize trace gluten from shared surfaces.
Build Your Own Omelet: Custom omelet with choice of fillings, whether it’s their eggs, cheeses, veggies, and meats, too. Those fillings and eggs are naturally gluten-free, though avoid wheat-containing add-ins (sausage with fillers) and ask staff to omit the toast.
Western Omelet: Classic ham, bell pepper, onion, and cheese omelet. The omelet ingredients are wheat-free by recipe, and once again, it’s not a bad idea to request separate prep and no toast on the side to reduce potential cross-contact risks.
Sunshine Skillet: Skillet-style breakfast with hash browns, eggs, cheese, and often biscuit or other breaded components. Because this skillet commonly includes biscuits or gravy and shares pans with breaded items, it contains a good bit of wheat and is unsafe for celiacs.
While this looks good on paper, remember that Bob Evans lets you customize your omelets or egg bowls with a variety of different sides, so make sure you order the wheat-free ones. 🍞
Hotcakes
For a sweet, yet hearty breakfast entree, Bob Evans’ hotcakes (i.e., pancakes) should hit the spot, but it’s a bit tricky if you’re a celiac, as most of these hotcakes are unsafe. 🥞🧇🍫🍯
❌ Honey Butter Chicken and French Toast
❌ Caramel Apple Hotcakes Combo
❌ Caramel Apple French Toast Combo
❌ Caramel Apple Hotcakes
❌ Double Chocolate Hotcakes
❌ Double Blueberry Hotcakes
❌ Buttermilk Hotcakes
❌ Brioche French Toast
⚠️ Blueberry Banana Oatmeal
While this should be a clear-cut conclusion thus far, let’s dive even deeper to learn more:
Honey Butter Chicken and French Toast: Fried chicken tenders served with slices of French toast and honey-butter drizzle. The French toast and breading contain wheat, and the chicken is likely breaded, so this dish is unsafe for strict gluten-free diets.
Caramel Apple Hotcakes Combo: Fluffy pancakes studded with caramelized apples, served with eggs or meat. The hotcakes are made from wheat flour, and the syrup or fruit toppings may be prepared near other wheat items, so avoid this if you have celiac disease.
Caramel Apple French Toast Combo: Thick-sliced French toast topped with caramelized apples and served with sides. French toast uses wheat bread soaked in batter, so the dish as a whole contains gluten, and it’s not safe for celiacs and folks with severe gluten intolerance.
Caramel Apple Hotcakes: Pancake stack with caramelized apple topping. Pancakes are made from wheat flour and share griddle surfaces with other wheat items, making this item unsafe for strict gluten avoidance, so remember to avoid this one if you’re a celiac.
Double Chocolate Hotcakes: Chocolate-studded pancakes made from wheat flour and cocoa. The pancake batter contains wheat, and it’s then cooked on shared griddles, so this is not safe for celiac diners or folks with severe gluten sensitivity.
Double Blueberry Hotcakes: Pancakes loaded with fresh blueberries, and made from standard wheat-flour batter. Because the base batter contains wheat and prep surfaces are shared, this item is unsafe for gluten-free diets, so consider skipping this one, too.
Buttermilk Hotcakes: Classic buttermilk pancakes cooked to order. These hotcakes are made with wheat flour and are therefore unsafe for celiacs or anyone who is gluten intolerant, and currently, there are no plans for a gluten-sensitive hotcake option.
Brioche French Toast: Rich brioche slices dipped in egg batter and griddled, it’s often finished with butter or syrup. Brioche is wheat-based, and so this entree contains gluten and is unsafe for strict gluten-free diets, so remember this when you’re ordering.
Blueberry Banana Oatmeal: Rolled oats are cooked with banana and blueberries, and it is then served warm. Oats are actually gluten-free by ingredient, but they can be exposed to additional cross-contamination during the cooking and prepping process.
Pancakes in most other restaurants are not that different compared to Bob Evans, in that the entire pancake menu is practically a glutenous minefield just waiting to ambush you. 🍎🍫
Turkey & Chicken
Otherwise, if poultry is what you’re looking for, then Bob Evans has no shortage of that, but it might not be to your liking as a celiac, as only a few could be made gluten-friendly. 🐓🔥🦃
❌ Taste of Farm Trio
⚠️ Lemon Garlic Chicken & Steak Tips Combo
❌ Southern Country Combo
❌ Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders
⚠️ Lemon Garlic Chicken
❌ Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken
❌ Honey Butter Chicken and Biscuit
⚠️ Slow-Roasted Turkey & Dressing
❌ Chicken-N-Noodles Deep Dish Dinner
Just to make sure we didn’t miss anything, let’s check out what these dishes are made of:
Taste of Farm Trio: Combo plate of three small entrees (often biscuits, mashed potatoes, and a choice of protein). Many components include biscuits, gravies, or breaded items that contain wheat, making this trio unsafe for celiacs.
Lemon Garlic Chicken & Steak Tips Combo: Grilled lemon-garlic chicken paired with steak tips. The proteins are often grilled without batter, but sauces, marinades, and shared grills present pretty significant cross-contact risk, so ask for plain, separate prep to minimize exposure.
Southern Country Combo: Hearty country-style plate with biscuits, fried protein, and gravy. Due to the inclusion of biscuits, breaded items, and flour-thickened gravy, this combo contains quite a bit of gluten and is unsafe for anyone with celiac disease.
Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders: White-meat strips breaded in wheat flour and deep-fried. The coating contains gluten, and the shared fryer cross-contact is pretty high, so this classic item is not safe for gluten-free diets, either, unfortunately.
Lemon Garlic Chicken: Wood-grilled chicken breast seasoned with lemon and garlic. Recipe-wise, it contains no wheat, but make sure you double-check the included marinades and request separate prep, as cross-contamination risk is moderate in shared kitchens.
Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken: Chicken pieces hand-dipped in seasoned wheat batter and deep-fried. The batter contains wheat, and the shared fryers further increase cross-contact, so avoid this if you’re strictly gluten-free, or if you’re a celiac like me.
Honey Butter Chicken and Biscuit: Crispy or grilled chicken with a sweet buttered biscuit. The biscuit contains wheat, and the chicken may be breaded, making this combo unsafe for celiacs, as well as folks with a severe gluten intolerance or sensitivity.
Slow-Roasted Turkey & Dressing: Sliced turkey with traditional bread-based dressing. While turkey itself is often gluten-free, the dressing usually contains bread or crumbs, and the gravy may be thickened with flour, so double-check the ingredients and expect moderate risk.
Chicken-N-Noodles Deep Dish Dinner: Comfort casserole of chicken, noodles, and a creamy sauce. The egg and wheat noodles, and likely wheat flour-thickened sauce, mean this dish contains gluten and should be avoided by celiacs.
Once again, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, as Bob Evans’ turkey and chicken menu does not offer a whole lot for celiacs, not to mention the concerning levels of cross-contamination. 🍗🥩🍖
Burgers & Sandwiches
Aside from poultry, Bob Evans’ menu has a fantastic selection of handhelds, but celiacs might as well not bother, as their burgers and sandwiches are filled with glutenous pitfalls! 🍔🥪
❌ Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
❌ Legendary Turkey Sandwich
❌ Fish Fry Sandwich
❌ Double Cheese Pot Roast Dip
❌ Farmhouse Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken Sandwich
❌ All-American BLT
❌ Bacon Cheeseburger
❌ Steakhouse Burger
❌ Rise & Shine Burger
❌ Cheeseburger
❌ Farmhouse Grilled Chicken Sandwich
❌ Pick 2 Combo
To figure out why not a single burger or sandwich qualifies, let’s take a closer look at each one:
Buffalo Chicken Sandwich: Breaded or grilled chicken tossed in buffalo sauce, and served on a wheat bun. The bun and any breading contain wheat, and even if it’s bun-less, the sauces and prep areas can cause cross-contact, so it’s worth avoiding it entirely.
Legendary Turkey Sandwich: Turkey stacked on bread with toppings. The sandwich bread is wheat-based, and deli-style handling often shares slicers and prep tools, making this unsafe unless ordered without bread and prepped with care, which might be challenging.
Fish Fry Sandwich: Beer- or flour-battered fish filet on a bun. The batter contains wheat, and the fryer cross-contact is high, so this fried sandwich is unsafe for strict gluten-free diets. So, I might recommend avoiding this one, too, even if you could have it bun-less.
Double Cheese Pot Roast Dip: Shredded pot roast in a cheesy dip served with bread for dipping. The dip and any accompaniment typically include wheat (bread and roux, usually), making this a no-go for celiacs and folks with a severe gluten intolerance or sensitivity.
Farmhouse Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken Sandwich: Breaded fried chicken on a wheat bun. Both the breading and the bun contain gluten, and shared fryers or assembly lines create high cross-contact risk that might be worth avoiding completely.
All-American BLT: Bacon, lettuce, tomato on toasted bread. The toasted bread contains wheat, and the toasters and grills are shared. You may be able to order it without bread (and request separate prep) if you’re attempting a safer option, but it’s still a high-risk handheld.
Bacon Cheeseburger: Beef patty with bacon and cheese on a wheat bun. The bun and any toasted or seasoned burger toppers may contain wheat, and though bun-less orders try to reduce the ingredient risk a bit, there’s still cross-contact from shared grills.
Steakhouse Burger: Gourmet burger with steakhouse sauce on a wheat bun. The sauce or the toppings can contain gluten, and the bun is wheat-based, so avoid this entirely unless you can order it bun-less, and even then, cross-contamination remains pretty high.
Rise & Shine Burger: Breakfast-style burger with egg and other toppings on a wheat bun. The bun and possibly batter-fried components contain wheat, and even ordering this bun-less does not eliminate shared-grill cross-contact, making this a pretty bad bet all-around.
Cheeseburger: Classic cheeseburger on a wheat bun. The bun contains wheat, and while those burger patties are usually wheat-free by recipe, they share plating and toasting equipment, so this means trace gluten risk and exposure remains decently high.
Farmhouse Grilled Chicken Sandwich: Grilled chicken breast on a wheat bun with sauces. The bun contains wheat, and any condiments or marinades can include gluten. While bun-less orders could reduce the inclusion of wheat, the cross-contamination risks persist.
Pick 2 Combo: Your choice of two menu items (a sandwich and a salad or soup). While there might still be hope with Bob Evans’ salads and soups menu to be somewhat safe, since there are glutenous, wheat-filled sandwiches or burgers as an option, it makes the combo a no-go.
Simply put, if you’re trying to stay gluten-free and dine safely while you’re at Bob Evans, you would be wise to avoid the burger and sandwiches menu altogether, no exceptions. 🧀🍅
Steak & Seafood
Elsewhere, Bob Evans’ steak and seafood menu runs the gamut of their entire menu, and this includes a mixture of chicken, meat, and shellfish, though only a few of them are safe. 🍤🦐
⚠️ Lemon Garlic Chicken & Steak Tips Combo
❌ Steak Tips & Shrimp Combo
❌ Fish Fry Platter
⚠️ Steak Tips Dinner
❌ Country-Fried Steak Platter
⚠️ Fork-Tender Pot Roast
❌ Mushroom and Onion Chopped Steak
⚠️ Steak Tips & Eggs
❌ Fried Shrimp
For comparison, let’s check out what each of these dishes is made of and why it matters:
Lemon Garlic Chicken & Steak Tips Combo: Grilled lemon-garlic chicken paired with seasoned steak tips. The proteins are often unbreaded, but marinades, shared grills, and those finishing sauces increase cross-contact risk, so consider asking for just plain proteins.
Steak Tips & Shrimp Combo: Sirloin tips with beer- or flour-battered shrimp. The shrimp batter contains wheat, and the combo is fried in shared oil, so this entire plate is unsafe for celiacs and those avoiding gluten, including folks with severe gluten intolerance.
Fish Fry Platter: Beer-battered or flour-dusted fish fillets served with fries. The batter contains wheat flour, and shared fryer oil introduces high cross-contact risk, making this classic platter unsafe for strict gluten-free diets, too.
Steak Tips Dinner: Marinated steak tips served with sides and possibly gravy. While the steak can be cooked plain, marinades, pan sauces, or gravy may include wheat thickeners, so you’d be wise to consider requesting no sauce and separate prep to minimize cross-contact risks.
Country-Fried Steak Platter: Breaded, fried cube steak smothered in country gravy. Both the breading and the gravy are typically wheat-based, and shared fryers make this a clear no-go for celiacs and gluten-sensitive diners.
Fork-Tender Pot Roast: Slow-braised beef in savory jus served with mashed potatoes. The roast itself is meat-only, but pan gravies or the thickened sauces may use flour, so if you want to be safe, request gravy on the side, and confirm that it’s wheat-free to reduce cross-contact risk.
Mushroom and Onion Chopped Steak: Ground steak topped with a mushroom-onion sauce, often thickened with flour. The sauce and possible pan gravy introduce wheat ingredients, so this entrée is unsafe for strict gluten-free diners.
Steak Tips & Eggs: Steak tips served with eggs for breakfast-style plating. The steak could be prepared without breading, but shared grills, marinades, and any saucing present moderate cross-contact risk, so request plain grilling and separate prep to lower exposure.
Fried Shrimp: Jumbo shrimp dredged in seasoned wheat batter and deep-fried. The breading contains gluten, and shared fryers guarantee loads of cross-contamination, so this appetizer and entrée are unsafe for celiacs and folks with severe gluten intolerance.
Remember, while there are a couple of dishes amongst Bob Evans’ key proteins that might be safe as far as being wheat-free is concerned, contamination remains a concern. 🥩🍖🍗
Dinner Bell Plates
To fill your belly up with some hearty dinner, Bob Evans doesn’t shy away from their far more traditional breakfast offerings, though celiacs should approach with some caution. 🔥🍋🧄
❌ Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders
⚠️ Lemon Garlic Chicken
❌ Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken
❌ Smaller Portion Turkey & Dressing
❌ Country-Fried Steak
❌ Hickory-Smoked Ham Steaks
Just so we’re 100% sure that most of these are unsafe, let’s dive even deeper into each dish:
Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders: White-meat strips coated in wheat-based breading and deep-fried. The coating and shared fryer oil create a high gluten exposure risk, so avoid this item on a strict gluten-free diet, or if you’re a fellow celiac like me.
Lemon Garlic Chicken: Wood-grilled chicken breast seasoned with lemon and garlic. Recipe-wise, this dish is typically wheat-free, but confirm with the staff about the marinades, and ask for separate prep since shared pans and sauces can cause cross-contact.
Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken: Bone-in or boneless chicken pieces dipped in wheat batter and fried. The batter contains wheat, and the shared fryer produces significant cross-contamination, rendering this unsafe for celiacs and anyone with severe gluten intolerance.
Smaller Portion Turkey & Dressing: Turkey served with traditional bread-based dressing. The dressing contains bread crumbs or cubes, and the gravy is often thickened with flour, so this smaller-portion comfort plate is not safe for gluten-free diets.
Country-Fried Steak: Breaded and fried beef cutlet topped with flour-thickened country gravy. Both the coating and the gravy use wheat, and shared equipment increases contamination, so it might be worth avoiding if you’re on a strict gluten-free diet.
Hickory-Smoked Ham Steaks: Smoked ham slices served with glaze or sides. The ham itself is typically gluten-free by ingredient, but glazes, marinades, or cross-contact during service can introduce wheat, which is hazardous, even if you request for glaze on the side.
Once again, Bob Evans doesn’t do a great job at catering to celiacs, owing to how much they rely on wheat in their recipes, in addition to all the cross-contamination risks, too. 👉🚫🌾
Soups, Salads, Shareables & Sides
To complement your entrees with something green and healthy, or perhaps a shareable side that you could split with your fellow diners, Bob Evans might have something for you. 🥗🥣
✅ Grilled Chicken Chopped Salad
❌ Bob Evans Wildfire Chicken Salad
✅ Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
❌ Farmhouse Garden Salad
✅ Bob Evans Famous Sausage Chili
❌ Chicken-N-Noodles Soup
❌ Cheddar Baked Potato Soup
⚠️ Cowboy Fries
❌ Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders
❌ Onion Rings
✅ Blue Ribbon Bacon
❌ Cinna-Biscuits
✅ Caramel Apple Dipper
⚠️ Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
⚠️ French Fries
❌ Loaded Mashed Potatoes
⚠️ Loaded French Fries
❌ Green Beans with Ham
❌ Macaroni & Cheese
❌ Bob Evans Signature Coleslaw
✅ Carrots
✅ Buttered Corn
❌ Bread & Celery Dressing
✅ Steamed Broccoli
❌ Farmhouse Garden Side Salad
❌ Cup of Sausage Gravy & Biscuits
⚠️ Golden Brown Home Fries
✅ Shredded Hash Browns
⚠️ Sausage Links
⚠️ Hardwood-Smoked Bacon
⚠️ Sausage Patties
⚠️ Chicken Sausage
⚠️ Hickory-Smoked Ham
✅ Fresh Fruit
Just to make sure we got it right, let’s take a look at each one and see what they’re made of:
Grilled Chicken Chopped Salad: Grilled chicken over chopped greens, veggies, and some light vinaigrette. The chicken and the veggies are typically unbreaded and wheat-free, but ask for dressing on the side and separate tossing to minimize cross-contamination risk.
Bob Evans Wildfire Chicken Salad: Salad topped with crispy, battered chicken and spicy glaze. The chicken is breaded with wheat flour, and the glaze might also include wheat-containing thickeners, making this unsafe for celiacs and those avoiding gluten.
Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad: Grilled chicken, dried cranberries, candied pecans, and mixed greens with vinaigrette. There’s no wheat in the base recipe, but request no crunchy wheat garnishes and ask for separate prep to further reduce any cross-contact risk.
Farmhouse Garden Salad: Mixed greens traditionally served with croutons and standard dressings. The croutons contain wheat, and some dressings may use wheat stabilizers, so the default preparation is unsafe unless it’s been modified and prepped separately.
Bob Evans Famous Sausage Chili: Hearty beef and pork chili with beans and spices. By recipe, this chili is made without wheat ingredients, but confirm that there are no flour thickeners, as well as requesting a clean ladle if you’re highly sensitive to cross-contact.
Chicken-N-Noodles Soup: Comforting chicken soup with either egg-noodle dumplings or wheat noodles. The noodles and dumplings contain wheat flour, which makes this entire soup unsafe for celiacs and those on strict gluten-free diets.
Cheddar Baked Potato Soup: Creamy potato soup often finished with a roux or flour-thickened base. Typical preparations use wheat in the thickener, rendering it unsafe for strict gluten-free diners, as well as folks with severe gluten intolerance and sensitivity.
Cowboy Fries: Seasoned loaded fries often topped with cheese, bacon, and sauces. All of the base ingredients may be gluten-free, but fries are typically cooked in shared fryers and sauces may use wheat thickeners, so order cautiously and ask about the shared fryer oil.
Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders: White meat strips coated in seasoned wheat flour and deep-fried. The breading contains gluten, and the shared fryer oil further increases cross-contact, so it might be worth avoiding this item on a strict gluten-free diet.
Onion Rings: Thick-cut onions dipped in beer or wheat batter and fried. The batter contains wheat flour, and the shared fryer oil produces a heavy cross-contact risk, so this is unsafe for celiacs and anyone with severe gluten intolerance.
Blue Ribbon Bacon: Hardwood-cured bacon served as a side. Bacon itself is typically free of wheat ingredients, but confirm that no glaze has been added, or even cross-handling with breaded items; otherwise, it’s generally one of the safer protein sides here.
Cinna-Biscuits: Sweet, cinnamon-topped biscuits made from enriched wheat flour. The pastry contains gluten, and shared bakeware increases contamination, so it’s not safe for anyone trying to avoid wheat and gluten components while you’re dining out.
Caramel Apple Dipper: Warm apple slices with a sealed caramel dip (often prepackaged). Fruit is naturally gluten-free, and the dip is typically wheat-free by ingredient, making this a safe, low cross-contact dessert or snack.
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy: Mashed potatoes served with a traditional flour-thickened gravy. The gravy commonly contains wheat flour, so the full dish is unsafe unless you order mashed potatoes with no gravy. Otherwise, plain mashed potatoes are a lot safer.
French Fries: Classic fries made from potatoes. Potatoes themselves are gluten-free, but most locations use shared fryers that also cook battered wheat items, so ask if they can use fresh oil or confirm fryer practices with the Bob Evans staff.
Loaded Mashed Potatoes: Mashed potatoes topped with cheese, bacon, and sometimes gravy. When gravy is included, it almost always contains wheat thickeners, making the loaded version unsafe by default, even with special modifications.
Loaded French Fries: Fries topped with cheese, bacon, and sauces. The base ingredients might be gluten-free, but shared fryer oil and wheat-thickened sauces increase cross-contact risk, so check the preparation and ask for details on the sauce.
Green Beans with Ham: Green beans braised with ham and seasonings. The recipe may include a savory glaze or stock with wheat ingredients, and many locations add ham via a process that can cause cross-contact, so it might be safer to avoid this entirely.
Macaroni & Cheese: Elbow pasta in a creamy cheese sauce. The pasta is made from wheat, and some cheese sauces use flour thickeners, so this dish is unsafe for gluten-free diners, as well as celiacs like me.
Bob Evans Signature Coleslaw: Shredded cabbage in a creamy dressing that could include stabilizers or flavorings with wheat. The menu flags some variations as containing wheat-based items, so avoid this unless you can confirm a wheat-free dressing or separate prep.
Carrots: Steamed or glazed baby carrots prepared plain. It’s normally wheat-free by recipe, with a relatively low risk of cross-contamination, but verify all of the glazing ingredients when they’re served sweetened.
Buttered Corn: Steamed or buttered corn kernels. There’s no wheat in the standard prep and the recipe, making this a reliably gluten-free side, but just to be safe, you should still request separate utensils in case of any cross-contamination.
Bread & Celery Dressing: Classic bread-based dressing made with cubed bread and savory seasonings. This dish contains wheat bread as a core ingredient, and it’s unsafe for celiacs, alongside anyone with severe gluten intolerance.
Steamed Broccoli: Fresh broccoli steamed to order. There are no wheat ingredients used in the standard prep, making it one of the safer vegetable sides when requested fresh and not tossed with sauced pans.
Farmhouse Garden Side Salad: Small mixed salad often served with croutons and standard dressings. The croutons and some of the dressings contain gluten, so by default, it’s unsafe unless the croutons are removed and separate prep is guaranteed.
Cup of Sausage Gravy & Biscuits: Biscuit and sausage gravy combo where both components include wheat – the biscuits and the gravy thickened with flour – making this item unsafe for gluten-free diets and celiacs.
Golden Brown Home Fries: Skillet-style diced potatoes seasoned and pan-fried. Potatoes are gluten-free by recipe, yet shared pans or oil and seasoning mixes pose cross-contact risks, so ask about dedicated prep to further reduce exposure.
Shredded Hash Browns: Shredded potatoes pan-fried without batter. It’s typically wheat-free by recipe and ingredient, with lower cross-contact risk than battered items, but confirm that they’re not dusted with flour or fried in shared batter oil.
Sausage Links: Pork or turkey sausage links. Sausages can be wheat-free, but some of the base formulations contain fillers or binders with wheat, so if you’re unsure, double-check with the staff on the ingredients and handling practices, too.
Hardwood-Smoked Bacon: Smoked bacon slices. Bacon is usually gluten-free by ingredient, but confirm that no maple or glaze containing wheat has been used, and request separate plating to further limit cross-contact from the pastry or bread stations.
Sausage Patties: Breakfast sausage patties. Many sausage patties are wheat-free, but some contain fillers or binders with gluten, so check the ingredients and their prep methods before ordering if you require strict gluten avoidance.
Chicken Sausage: Chicken-based sausage links or patties. Often formulated without wheat, but once again, verify the ingredient label and avoid them entirely if the sausages contain wheat-based binders or have been cooked on shared surfaces with battered items.
Hickory-Smoked Ham: Sliced ham, smoked for flavor. Ham is commonly gluten-free, though some glazes or injects may contain wheat, so request plain ham and double-check all of the seasoning just to be extra sure they’re safe.
Fresh Fruit: Seasonal fruit bowl or slices. Factory-clean, whole fruit that contains no wheat, and they’re effectively zero-risk for gluten exposure, making it one of the safest menu choices for celiacs here.
While much of the Bob Evans menu presents a decently high risk for celiacs, at least you can rely on a couple of their sides to be pretty safe when it comes to contamination. 🍲🍟🥔
Bakery & Desserts
Normally, bakery goods and desserts at most restaurants are a no-no for celiacs, and you can find the same wheat-filled, flour-topped, glutenous hellhole here at Bob Evans. 🥧🍰🍪🍞
❌ Pumpkin Pie
❌ Pecan Pie
❌ Turtle Cheesecake Pie
❌ Pumpkin Bread Loaf
❌ 2 for $8 Whole Loaf Bread
❌ Holy Cow Chocolate Cake
❌ Double-Crust Apple Pie
❌ Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie
✅ Chocolate & Caramel Sundae
❌ Banana Nut Bread
❌ Cinna-Biscuits
❌ Chocolate Chunk Cookie
❌ Buttermilk Biscuits
❌ Dinner Rolls
Alas, it’s pretty clear that these are unsafe for celiacs, but let’s check them out, anyway:
Pumpkin Pie: Classic pumpkin custard baked in a flaky wheat-based crust made from enriched flour. The filling here may be gluten-free, but the crust contains wheat, and the pie is baked on shared trays, so it’s unsafe for celiacs.
Pecan Pie: Sticky caramel-pecan filling set in a traditional wheat-flour pie crust. Both the crust and any pastry crumbs contain gluten, and shared baking surfaces increase cross-contact risk, making this unsuitable for strict gluten-free diners.
Turtle Cheesecake Pie: Creamy cheesecake layered over a graham-cracker or cookie crust and topped with caramel and toasted pecans. The crust and many topping mixes contain wheat, so this dessert is not safe for those avoiding gluten.
Pumpkin Bread Loaf: Sweet quick bread made from pumpkin purée and wheat flour, and they are sometimes sold by the slice or as a whole loaf. The batter and baked loaf contain gluten, rendering it unsafe if you’re highly gluten intolerant.
2 for $8 Whole Loaf Bread: Pre-baked, enriched wheat loaves sold as a bakery item. These loaves are made from wheat flour and are unsafe for anyone on a gluten-free diet, and sadly, Bob Evans has no gluten-free breads, either.
Holy Cow Chocolate Cake: Decadent layered chocolate cake prepared with wheat flour in the cake layers, and they’re often served with chocolate frosting. The cake contains gluten and is baked on shared equipment, so avoid this if you require gluten-free food.
Double-Crust Apple Pie: Sliced apples seasoned with sugar and cinnamon enclosed by a top and bottom wheat-based crust. The double crust contains wheat flour, and shared bakeware makes this off-limits for celiacs like me.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie: Peanut-butter–forward filling over a cookie or graham crust that contains wheat. Both the crust and many store-bought mix-ins include gluten, so this pie is unsafe for strict gluten-free diets.
Chocolate & Caramel Sundae: Soft-serve ice cream topped with chocolate and caramel sauces. The dairy and sauces are typically wheat-free by ingredient, making the sundae a relatively safe dessert, but ask staff to avoid cookie and brownie mix-ins to prevent cross-contact.
Banana Nut Bread: Moist quick bread studded with banana and nuts but made from wheat flour. The loaf contains gluten and is baked in shared ovens; therefore, it’s unsuitable for celiacs and gluten-free diners.
Cinna-Biscuits: Sweet cinnamon-topped biscuits made from enriched wheat flour and baked on common trays. The biscuits contain gluten, and they share equipment with other bakery items, so they’re unsafe for those avoiding wheat.
Chocolate Chunk Cookie: Large bakery cookie with chocolate chunks baked from wheat flour. The cookie contains gluten, and they’re also prepared and then stored alongside other wheat products, making them off-limits for gluten-free diets.
Buttermilk Biscuits: Flaky breakfast biscuits made from enriched wheat flour and often brushed with butter. The biscuits contain gluten and are baked on shared surfaces, so avoid them if you need to maintain a strict gluten-free diet.
Dinner Rolls: Soft yeast rolls made from wheat flour, served warm. These rolls are made from enriched wheat and are unsafe for celiacs, in addition to the shared serving baskets and prep areas that add further cross-contact risk.
If you’re after a sweet finisher to your meals, unless it’s a plain sundae, celiacs ought to avoid the entire Bob Evans bakery and desserts menu entirely for being this glutenous. 🍫🍦🍨🍧
Kids Menu
On the theme of Bob Evans being tricky with celiacs and folks with gluten intolerance, I hope your kids aren’t celiacs, as their kids’ menu is just as unsafe as the rest of their menu. 🥞🍔
❌ Kids Caramel Apple Pancakes
❌ Double Dipper
❌ Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders
❌ Kids Fish Fry
❌ Lil’ Farmer Breakfast
❌ Little Piggy Pancakes
❌ Plenty-O-Pancakes
❌ Tic-Tac-Toast
❌ Macaroni & Cheese
❌ Turkey Lurkey
❌ Cheeseburger
❌ Grilled Cheese Triangles
❌ Chicken-N-Noodles
To figure out what makes these kids’ meals unsafe, let’s dive deep and take a closer peek:
Kids Caramel Apple Pancakes: Fluffy pancakes topped with caramel-apple compote and syrup. Pancake batter is made from enriched wheat flour, and the compote and serving are prepared on shared griddles, so this dish contains gluten and is unsafe for celiacs.
Double Dipper: Kid-sized combo plate (typically pancakes or French toast plus eggs and meat). The breakfast breads and/or pancakes use wheat flour, and the plate is assembled on shared prep surfaces, making it unsuitable for strict gluten-free diets.
Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders: White-meat strips coated in a seasoned wheat-flour breading and deep-fried. The coating contains gluten, and shared fryers increase cross-contact risk, so avoid this entirely if you must be gluten-free.
Kids Fish Fry: Breaded and fried fish filet served with sides. The fish is coated in wheat-based batter and fried in shared oil, introducing direct gluten exposure and high cross-contamination risk for celiacs for anyone who’s highly gluten intolerant.
Lil’ Farmer Breakfast: Child’s breakfast plate with pancakes or toast, some eggs, and meat. The pancakes and/or toast are made from wheat flour (and they often share griddles), so this combo is not safe for those avoiding gluten.
Little Piggy Pancakes: Pancakes served with bacon or sausage and syrup. The pancakes contain wheat flour, and they’re then cooked on shared surfaces, making this dish unsafe for strict gluten-free diets and celiacs.
Plenty-O-Pancakes: Stack of pancakes served kid-style with syrup and butter. Pancake batter is made from wheat flour and cooked on shared griddles. Therefore, it contains gluten and is not celiac-safe or gluten-free.
Tic-Tac-Toast: Toasted bread with sweet or savory toppings for kids. The base is wheat bread, and toast is prepared on shared equipment, so this menu item contains gluten and should be avoided by celiacs.
Macaroni & Cheese: Elbow pasta in a creamy cheese sauce. The pasta is made from wheat flour, and the sauce may be prepared with roux or shared utensils, so this is unsafe for those on a strict gluten-free diet.
Turkey Lurkey: Kid’s turkey sandwich or turkey plate often served with bread or stuffing. The typical preparation includes wheat-based bread or dressing, so this item contains gluten and is not safe for celiacs.
Cheeseburger: Junior beef patty with cheese on a wheat bun by default. The bun contains wheat, and while you could ask for no bun, cross-contact on grills and assembly areas still creates a moderate to high level of contamination risk.
Grilled Cheese Triangles: Melted cheese between toasted wheat bread, cut into triangles. The bread and shared toasters or grill surfaces contain gluten, so this is not suitable for strict gluten-free diets, either.
Chicken-N-Noodles: Comfort-style noodles with shredded chicken in a broth or gravy. The noodles are wheat-based, and the soup may be thickened with flour, so this dish contains gluten and is unsafe for celiacs.
If you’re dining out at Bob Evans with your kids, you might be better off checking out some of their sides or plain proteins, which are certainly a lot safer than their kids’ menu! 🍝🧀🍟
Beverages
Most of the time, beverages at most restaurants are celiac-safe and gluten-free, and you can, thankfully, experience the same thing here at Bob Evans, with only one exception. 🧃🥤☕️
✅ Hot Caramel Apple Cider
❌ Caramel Mocha Cold Brew
✅ Sunshine Refresher
✅ Sweet Cream Cold Brew Coffee
✅ Iced Tea
✅ Sweet Iced Tea
✅ Peach Iced Tea
✅ Lemonade
✅ Strawberry Lemonade
✅ Arnold Palmer
✅ 100% Orange Juice
✅ 100% Apple Juice
✅ Coffee
✅ Caramel Mocha
✅ Sweet & Creamy Cappuccino
✅ Family Size Coffee
✅ Hot Chocolate
✅ Pepsi
✅ Cherry Pepsi
✅ Diet Pepsi
✅ Starry
✅ Mug Root Beer
✅ Mountain Dew
✅ Bottled Water
✅ 1% Chocolate Milk
✅ 1% White Milk
Just to be extra sure that these drinks are properly safe, let’s break them down bit by bit:
Hot Caramel Apple Cider: Warm apple cider finished with a swirl of caramel. Made from apple juice or cider and flavored syrup, which contains no wheat ingredients, making it gluten-free by recipe. Just ask for a clean dispenser to reduce any cross-contact.
Caramel Mocha Cold Brew: Cold brew finished with caramel-mocha syrup or mix-ins that, per the Bob Evans allergen guide, include wheat and/or gluten components. That makes this the only beverage here that’s not gluten-free by recipe or ingredient.
Sunshine Refresher: Fruit-forward refresher made with citrus and fruit concentrates over ice. No wheat ingredients are used in the standard recipe, so it’s gluten-free by ingredient, but ask if the staff could rinse the spigot if dispensed from a tap.
Sweet Cream Cold Brew Coffee: Cold brew topped with a sweet cream float. The coffee and cream contain no wheat or gluten ingredients, making this drink gluten-free by recipe, but it might be good to request separate prep away from the pastry stations.
Iced Tea: Brewed black tea served over ice. Pure tea contains no wheat or gluten, but if it’s been dispensed from a tap, ask the staff to wipe the nozzle or pour from a freshly cleaned dispenser to minimize any risk of cross-contact.
Sweet Iced Tea: Brewed tea sweetened with simple syrup. There’s no wheat in the recipe, so it is gluten-free by ingredient, but as with all tap beverages, a quick nozzle wipe reduces any likelihood of cross-contamination risk.
Peach Iced Tea: Brewed tea flavored with peach puree or syrup. It’s also made without wheat ingredients in the standard prep, making it gluten-free by recipe, though if you verify the flavoring is a fruit puree or gluten-free syrup at your Bob Evans location.
Lemonade: Classic lemon, sugar, and water. No wheat ingredients are used, so this is gluten-free by recipe and one of the safer fountain choices for celiacs here.
Strawberry Lemonade: Lemonade blended with strawberry puree. Fruit-based recipe contains no wheat, but confirm no bakery mix-ins are used and ask for a clean pour spigot if it’s on tap.
Arnold Palmer: Half iced tea, half lemonade. Both components are wheat-free by ingredient, but request separate spigot rinses and avoid syrup cross-over from pastry stations to be extra safe.
100% Orange Juice: Factory-sealed or decanted orange juice with no wheat ingredients. With most bottled or carton juices, there’s virtually zero cross-contact risk, and they are safe for celiacs.
100% Apple Juice: Pure apple juice in sealed packaging or poured to order. This contains no wheat, and factory-sealed cartons are among the lowest cross-contact beverage choices.
Coffee: Freshly brewed hot coffee. Coffee beans contain no gluten, though request a freshly brewed pot or cleaned carafe if you’re extremely sensitive to trace contamination.
Caramel Mocha: Hot or crafted espresso drink with caramel and chocolate syrup. The standard recipe contains no wheat ingredients, avoid any brownie or crumb mix-ins, and ask the barista to prepare your coffee away from pastry attachments.
Sweet & Creamy Cappuccino: Espresso topped with frothed milk and a touch of sweetener. No wheat ingredients are used in the standard prep, but request a clean milk pitcher if you need extra caution against cross-contact.
Family Size Coffee: Large brewed coffee pot for groups. Coffee itself contains no wheat, but ensure that the carafe is freshly brewed or sanitized before serving if you’re sensitive to trace exposure.
Hot Chocolate: Steamed milk blended with a chocolate mix. Typical hot chocolate mixes contain no wheat ingredients, but confirm there are no cookie or brownie add-ins at the station before ordering.
Pepsi: Fountain Pepsi Cola. Cola syrups do not contain wheat, though ask the staff to wipe the nozzle prior to pouring to reduce any chance of cross-contact.
Cherry Pepsi: Cherry-flavored Pepsi from the fountain. The syrup contains no wheat ingredients by recipe, and sealed bottles (if available) are even lower risk for cross-contamination.
Diet Pepsi: Sugar-free cola syrup with no wheat ingredients. They’re gluten-free by recipe, and as usual, a quick nozzle wipe further reduces contamination risk at the fountain.
Starry: Lemon-lime fountain soda with no wheat ingredients, and it’s also gluten-free by recipe; sealed bottles offer the lowest risk, while fountain pours can be safe with a clean nozzle.
Mug Root Beer: Root beer syrup for fountain dispense. There’s no wheat in the syrup by recipe, though to be safe, ask for nozzle cleaning when using shared fountain stations.
Mountain Dew: Citrus-flavored fountain soda without wheat ingredients, which is also gluten-free by recipe. Be sure to practice the same nozzle hygiene if pouring from a shared spigot.
Bottled Water: Factory-sealed bottled water, with zero wheat ingredients and virtually no cross-contact risk, making this the safest drink option for celiacs here.
1% Chocolate Milk: Chocolate-flavored milk in a carton or portioned cup. Milk itself contains no wheat, but confirm that the chocolate syrup or any add-in is free of cookie or brownie inclusions to be safe.
1% White Milk: Plain low-fat milk in sealed packaging or dispensed. This contains no wheat, and it poses minimal cross-contact risk when factory sealed.
As with most drink menus, while they’re pretty gluten-free, make sure you’re careful when it comes to cross-contamination, especially with the dispensers, nozzles, taps, and so on. 🍵
To Sum Up
As a whole, if you’re a celiac, dining out at Bob Evans is hugely risky. For starters, most of the menu here relies on wheat and other glutenous components to a pretty high degree. 🚫🌾
This encompasses their breakfast entrees, hotcakes, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, poultry, not to mention their kids’ menu, bakery goods, desserts, and lots more… All of them are a no-go!
On top of that, even the few menu items here that don’t naturally contain wheat ingredients and components are still subject to comparatively high amounts of cross-contamination. 🍴
Shared fryers, grills, griddles, kitchen equipment, utensils, and other prep or assembly areas present moderate to high levels of cross-contact risks that I’m not comfortable dealing with.
Really, the selection of somewhat celiac-safe and gluten-friendly items that you could find at Bob Evans only goes as far as some of their sides and most of their drinks, but that’s really it.
Overall, as much as I’d like to fall in love with Bob Evans’ menu, as a celiac, it’s hard for me to wholeheartedly recommend them, and personally, I’d rather dine (safely) elsewhere, too. 🍔
In the meantime, if you want recommendations on other restaurants that at least offer a nice selection of gluten-free items, make sure to stay tuned to us here at Great Without Gluten for even more celiac-friendly and gluten-free eating out guides! ✍📝
And, while you’re here, you might also want to check out my other eating out guides and some tasty gluten‑free recipes!
If you’re craving other fast-food or casual dining chains and gourmet meals, do check out my other celiac-friendly, gluten-free dining out guides to Chili’s, PF Chang’s, First Watch, Potbelly, Red Lobster, Yard House, LongHorn, Pei Wei, Wendy’s, Cheddar’s, BJ’s, Maggiano’s, Carrabba’s, and more! 🍔🍟🍗
Stay safe and gluten‑aware, my celiac friends! 💖🥗
Frequently Asked Questions
While I was preparing this Bob Evans gluten-free guide, I came across a few pretty interesting questions floating around social media and other forums, so I thought I’d answer them here:
What Bob Evans menu items are gluten-free?
Some of Bob Evans’ menu items are naturally wheat-free, including their grilled proteins, such as plain grilled chicken, ham, some steaks, as well as some of their sides. The latter includes a selection of fresh fruits, steamed vegetables, baked potatoes, seasoned rice, a couple of salad options, shredded hash browns, and a few others.
Of course, their beverage menu is pretty celiac-safe, with the exception of just one drink, but otherwise, your options here are limited.
Does Bob Evans have a dedicated gluten-free menu?
No, Bob Evans doesn’t have a separate, dedicated gluten-free menu. Instead, what you get is their allergen guide, which sort of points you in a general direction of which menu items have wheat-based components or gluten allergens that celiacs and folks with severe intolerance or sensitivities have to avoid.
However, what Bob Evans’ allergen guide won’t tell you is the level of cross-contamination that could even affect those dishes that are naturally wheat-free.
Can someone with celiac disease eat safely at Bob Evans?
Possibly, but with an abundance of caution. Many Bob Evans dishes are wheat-free by recipe, yet their kitchens rely on shared prep surfaces, fryers, equipment, and utensils, meaning that cross-contamination can be quite high (or at least moderate) with some of their menu items.
Thus, bringing trace gluten exposure to ‘poison’ even those menu items that don’t technically contain any wheat in them. As such, make sure you let the staff know to take precautions.
How should I order at Bob Evans to minimize gluten risk?
When ordering at Bob Evans, it helps to inform your server, or the kitchen staff, and let them know that you have celiac disease, a severe gluten intolerance or sensitivity, or perhaps strict dietary restrictions that they’ll have to be wary of.
You could then request to see menu items that are wheat-free, ask for no biscuits and croutons, and ask for sauce or gravies on the side, just to be safe. You can also ask that the kitchen use clean utensils, a separate bowl, or cook your item last to further reduce cross-contact risks, and keep your order simple, as well.
Which Bob Evans items commonly contain wheat or should be avoided?
Breaded and baked goods are the biggest culprits, which include their biscuits, pancakes (aka ‘hotcakes’), breaded chicken tenders, beer-battered or breaded seafood, many of the desserts and pies, as well as dishes with wheat flour-thickened gravies or sauces.
Some examples here include the Cinna-Biscuits, most of their hotcakes and French toast, breaded platters, and the bakery goods, all of which should be avoided at all costs if you’re a celiac.
Photo Credit
Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Becky Terrell ✍️
Hi, I am Becky. I am a passionate recipe maker and having been a coeliac (celiac) for 30+ years I focus on gluten-free recipes. My blog is my online cookbook of gluten-free tasty recipes. You can follow me on X: @beckygwg
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