The Ultimate Hardee’s Gluten-Free Menu Guide For 2025
Built around gluten-containing burgers, sandwiches, biscuits, chicken, and fried items, our Hardee’s gluten-free menu guide exposes all that you need to know!
A beloved national fast-food chain, nearly all of Hardee’s menu is built around burger buns, sandwich breads, breaded or battered fried chicken, deep-fried dishes, and biscuits that are brimming with loads of wheat and gluten ingredients. 🥯
Even at a glance, it’s no surprise that their menu has tons of obvious gluten landmines that you have to navigate, in addition to wheat-thickened sauces and wheat-containing seasoning mixes, leaving you with only a few options.
Some safer options include a few sides and the drinks, which isn’t enough to fill any hungry belly, and that’s before cross-contamination becomes a factor, which we’ll go through with more detail in our Hardee’s gluten-free menu guide! ☹️
Table of Contents
Disclaimer
If you’re not swayed by the abundance of gluten in their menu and you’d like to consider a trip down to your local Hardee’s regardless, then at least be mindful of cross-contamination that’s likely present there. ⚠️🚫🌾
Hardee’s doesn’t operate a certified gluten-free kitchen space, opting instead for common, shared kitchen spaces and work stations, which include using shared fryers, grills, toasters, and prep surfaces, among others, raising the hazard level.
With this sort of kitchen environment, cross-contamination can easily occur during normal restaurant service, meaning that you’re not guaranteed safe, even if you order something from the Hardee’s menu that’s “safe” or naturally gluten-free.
This is because that menu item might catch traces of wheat and gluten, including glutenous ingredients such as malt, barley, rye, and/or oats (among others) via trace gluten exposure from other items that are cooked, prepped, or stored nearby.
As such, if you have celiac disease or a non-celiac gluten sensitivity or intolerance, it’s not a bad idea to treat even Hardee’s “safest” menu items as potentially exposed to trace gluten cross-contamination unless it’s been proven otherwise. ❗
As always, if you have celiac disease or any other dietary restriction, remember to let the Hardee’s staff or the on-duty manager know, and consider asking them to take precautions while preparing your meal, if that’s at all possible. 🍽️🔪
Hardee’s Allergen Policy (Gluten-Free)
On the bright side, at least Hardee’s makes it super easy for you to filter through their menu to then effortlessly identify all the safe items to order and the unsafe items to avoid, and it starts by heading over to the Hardee’s website. 🖥️⌨️🖱️📑
Once you’re on the official Hardee’s homepage, you can then simply scroll all the way down to the website footer and click on the really tiny text that says “Nutritional Info” to open up the official Hardee’s Nutritional Information page. ✍📝
This page consists of a single embedded JPG image file, which you can open in a new tab or bookmark it, or download it to your phone for easier reference, and upon zooming into this image, you can learn loads more about the menu:
- Nutrition – If you’re really conscious about your dietary intake, then you can find a detailed nutritional breakdown and data for every single item on Hardee’s menu, like knowing how many calories, cholesterol, total fat, sodium, carbs, fiber, sugar, and more are in each item.
- Allergen – Additionally, there’s another column in this table that lists out each allergen that might be included in every single item on Hardee’s menu, and you can use this to figure out what you can’t eat based on what you’re allergic to, like eggs, milk, fish, nuts, sesame, and tons more, with the legend being found in the fine print below. If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity and/or intolerance, avoid any item here marked as containing wheat (W).
Other than that, this JPG table contains a fine print in very tiny text at the very bottom that does give you a lot of valuable context and disclosure, which includes this rather important bit of insight on cross-contamination for you to be wary of:
All food items are prepared in the same kitchen. Cross-contact may occur, and we cannot guarantee that any menu item does not contain a certain allergen. We do not have an allergen-free cooking environment in our kitchens. All products are prepared in the same kitchen area. Anyone with any food sensitivities, allergies, special dietary needs, or specific dietary inquiries or concerns should consult a medical professional of his/her own selection regarding the suitability of our food products and/or ingredients, and should regularly review the information contained at our website for content updates.
Breakfast Biscuits, Favorites, Bites & Extras
The best way to start your day is with Hardee’s giant selection of breakfast biscuit platters, sandwiches, sweet rolls, and hearty sides to keep you awake for the long day ahead, but it’s no doubt a rough day if you have celiac disease, as every single breakfast item at Hardee’s contains wheat and gluten by ingredient. 🍔🥪🍟🍗🥙
❌ Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with Sausage
❌ Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with Bacon
❌ Sausage & Egg Biscuit
❌ Country Ham Biscuit
❌ Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit
❌ Spicy Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit
❌ Country-Fried Steak Biscuit
❌ Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
❌ Loaded Omelet Biscuit
❌ Sunrise Croissant
❌ Smoked Sausage, Egg & Cheese
❌ Super Bacon Biscuit
❌ Super Sausage Biscuit
❌ Monster Biscuit
❌ Pork Chop ‘N’ Gravy Biscuit
❌ Biscuit ‘N’ Gravy
❌ Frisco Breakfast Sandwich
❌ Homestyle Sausage, Egg & Cheese Burrito
❌ Homestyle Loaded Breakfast Burrito
❌ Sausage, Egg & Cheese Burrito
❌ Hardee Breakfast Platter – Bacon
❌ Hardee Breakfast Platter – Ham
❌ Hardee Breakfast Platter – Sausage
❌ Hash Rounds
❌ Plain Biscuit
❌ Sausage Biscuit
❌ Cinnamon Roll
❌ Grits
For context, let’s break these breakfast staples down one by one to see how they’re made:
Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with Sausage: Made with a wheat-based bun or biscuit and cheese, this sandwich contains wheat by ingredient. Shared griddles and assembly counters create cross-contamination risk, so ask the staff to confirm the ingredients and avoid ordering if strict avoidance is required.
Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with Bacon: Uses a wheat-based bread component and is an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared toasters, griddles, and prep surfaces add cross-contamination risk. Request ingredient confirmation to make sure, and speak with staff before ordering if you must avoid gluten.
Sausage & Egg Biscuit: A sausage and egg served inside a wheat biscuit makes this an ingredient-level gluten source. Moreover, shared ovens and prep stations can cross-contaminate. Ask staff to confirm recipes and avoid the item unless a certified gluten-free biscuit is available.
Country Ham Biscuit: Country ham is paired with a wheat biscuit, which is an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared slicing and plating areas further increase cross-contamination risk. Request ingredient details and confirm separate handling if you plan to order this item, but it’s best to avoid it entirely.
Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit: Breaded chicken uses wheat-containing coating and is served with a wheat biscuit, creating multiple ingredient-level gluten sources. Shared fryers and platters increase cross-contamination. Do not order unless the restaurant verifies a gluten-free preparation.
Spicy Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit: Spicy variant uses a wheat-based coating and a biscuit made from wheat flour. Fryer and prep cross-contamination risks are high. Ask staff to confirm a gluten-free alternative and avoid the dish unless a verified safe method is available.
Country-Fried Steak Biscuit: Country-fried steak is coated in wheat-based batter and served with a wheat biscuit. Both components are ingredient-level gluten sources. Ask staff to confirm whether a gluten-free option exists and avoid ordering if strict avoidance is necessary.
Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit: Served on a wheat biscuit, this breakfast staple is an ingredient-level gluten source due to the biscuit. Shared toasters and prep counters create cross-contamination risk. Request ingredient confirmation and consider plain proteins instead.
Loaded Omelet Biscuit: An omelet sandwiched in a wheat biscuit contains wheat by ingredient. Cross-contamination can occur on griddles and assembly areas. Ask staff to confirm components and request an alternative preparation if a gluten-free biscuit is not available, if possible.
Sunrise Croissant: Croissants are made from wheat flour and therefore are ingredient-level gluten sources. Shared baking and serving stations add cross-contamination risk. Request ingredient details and avoid ordering unless a certified gluten-free pastry is confirmed.
Smoked Sausage, Egg & Cheese: Packaged on a wheat-based biscuit or roll, this sandwich contains wheat by ingredient. Shared griddles and bun handling create cross-contamination risks. Ask staff to confirm bread type and handling before ordering, but it might be best to avoid it to stay safe.
Super Bacon Biscuit: A loaded bacon biscuit uses a wheat biscuit and assembled toppings that may be handled on shared surfaces. This is an ingredient-level gluten source. Request ingredient confirmation and ask the staff to prepare plain bacon and eggs if needed.
Super Sausage Biscuit: The sausage and egg are paired with a wheat biscuit, making this an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared prep and toasting areas add cross-contamination risk. Confirm whether a gluten-free biscuit option exists before ordering, though it might be difficult.
Monster Biscuit: A large biscuit sandwich built on a wheat biscuit is an ingredient-level gluten source by default. Multiple components handled on the same prep surface raise cross-contamination risks. Ask staff to confirm safe handling or choose plain proteins if at all available.
Pork Chop ‘N’ Gravy Biscuit: The biscuit contains wheat, and the gravy often uses wheat-based thickeners, creating two ingredient-level gluten sources. Shared ladles and prep stations increase cross-contamination. Request ingredient lists and avoid unless a certified alternative is verified.
Biscuit ‘N’ Gravy: Plain biscuits plus brown gravy are both likely to include wheat, and gravy recipes commonly use wheat thickeners. This dish is an ingredient-level gluten source and unsuitable unless the restaurant confirms a gluten-free gravy and biscuit, which currently isn’t available.
Frisco Breakfast Sandwich: Typically served on wheat-based toast or a bun and includes fillings that contact shared surfaces. The bread makes this an ingredient-level gluten source. Ask the staff to confirm bread type and request separate assembly if you must avoid gluten, but it’s best to avoid it.
Homestyle Sausage, Egg & Cheese Burrito: This burrito is marked as containing wheat by the official allergen guide, likely due to the flour tortilla. Tortillas and fill handling create ingredient-level gluten exposure. Request ingredient confirmation and avoid unless a gluten-free tortilla is confirmed.
Homestyle Loaded Breakfast Burrito: Uses a wheat flour tortilla and contains ingredients handled on shared prep lines, making it an ingredient-level gluten source. Ask staff to confirm if gluten-free wraps are available and request cleared prep surfaces if you’re still attempting to order this safely.
Sausage, Egg & Cheese Burrito: The flour tortilla is an ingredient-level gluten source. Cross-contamination risk arises from shared grills and prep stations. Confirm the availability of a certified gluten-free wrap before ordering and request that the staff verify safe handling, but otherwise, it’s best to avoid it.
Hardee Breakfast Platter – Bacon: Platters often include wheat-based biscuits, toast, or pancakes that introduce gluten by ingredient. Confirm each platter component with staff and request substitutions or plain proteins if you need to avoid cross-contamination.
Hardee Breakfast Platter – Ham: Similar to other platters, the inclusion of biscuits or other wheat sides renders this an ingredient-level gluten source. Ask staff to confirm all the included sides and request gluten-free alternatives where available, if at all possible.
Hardee Breakfast Platter – Sausage: Sausage platter meals typically pair proteins with wheat-based sides. Confirm that pancakes, biscuits, or toast are not included or request safe swaps, and ask staff to clear prep surfaces to reduce cross-contamination risk.
Hash Rounds: Marked as containing wheat in the official allergen guide, hash rounds can include coatings or seasoning mixes with wheat. Shared fryers and seasoning bins increase cross-contamination. Make sure to request the ingredient details and avoid this entirely if you must strictly avoid gluten.
Plain Biscuit: A plain Hardee’s biscuit is made with wheat flour and, therefore, is an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared baking and handling spaces create cross-contamination risk. Ask staff to confirm if a certified gluten-free biscuit is available, which currently isn’t, sadly.
Sausage Biscuit: Combines sausage with a wheat biscuit, making this an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared toasters and prep counters add cross-contamination risk. Request the sausage served without the biscuit or confirm a gluten-free bread option.
Cinnamon Roll: Sweet rolls are prepared with wheat flour and glazes that may be handled on shared trays. This item is an ingredient-level gluten source and unsuitable for celiac disease unless a certified gluten-free pastry option is available.
Grits: Although grits can be gluten-free by ingredient in some kitchens, the official allergen guide you supplied lists this item as containing wheat. Treat it as an ingredient-level gluten source here and request clarification from staff before ordering.
Sadly, there’s not a single gluten-free or safe dish within Hardee’s breakfast menu, and the cross-contamination risks are quite high, too, owing to their use of shared fryers, griddles, toasters, and prep surfaces. Therefore, if you’re seeking a celiac-safe breakfast, it’s best to look elsewhere other than Hardee’s instead. 🍳🥓🧀🌭
Burgers, Sandwiches, Chicken & More
For lunch or dinner, you’d be missing out if you don’t check out Hardee’s hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches, and fried chicken, but once again, just like their breakfast menu, there’s not a single safe dish here. In short, every single item in Hardee’s standard menu contains wheat and gluten ingredients by the bucket load! 🍔🥪🔥🍗🍟
❌ Grilled Cheese Bacon Burger
❌ Famous Star
❌ Super Star
❌ Hardee’s Frisco
❌ Bacon Cheeseburger
❌ Double Bacon Cheeseburger
❌ Mushroom & Swiss
❌ Big Cheeseburger
❌ Monster Burger
❌ Big Hot Ham ‘N’ Cheese
❌ Original Hot Ham ‘N’ Cheese
❌ Big Roast Beef
❌ Original Roast Beef
❌ Monster Roast Beef
❌ Jumbo Chili Dog
❌ Spicy Chicken Sandwich
❌ Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich
❌ Nashville Hot Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich
❌ BLT Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich
❌ Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders
❌ Spicy Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders
❌ Ranch Tender Wrap
❌ Honey Mustard Tender Wrap
❌ Spicy Tender Wrap
To make sure that we got this right and didn’t miss anything, let’s analyze in more detail:
Grilled Cheese Bacon Burger: Served on wheat-based bread or bun with bacon and cheese, this sandwich contains wheat in the ingredients list. Shared grills and toasters increase cross-contamination risk, so ask staff to confirm bread type and avoid ordering this completely for strict gluten avoidance.
Famous Star: The Famous Star is built with a wheat bun and seasoned patty that contacts shared surfaces. The bun is an ingredient-level gluten source, and shared assembly counters add cross-contamination risk. Request plain patty and confirm separate handling if you still want to order this.
Super Star: This larger burger uses a wheat bun and typical burger toppings handled on shared prep areas. The bun makes it an ingredient-level gluten source. Ask staff whether any gluten-free bread is available and request cleared surfaces if you must reduce cross-contamination.
Hardee’s Frisco: Frisco-style sandwiches are served on wheat toast or a bun, which is an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared griddles and toasters create cross-contamination risk. Request ingredient confirmation to make sure, and consider plain proteins instead of this sandwich.
Bacon Cheeseburger: A bacon cheeseburger is served on a wheat bun, making it an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared toasters and prep counters can cross-contaminate. Ask the staff to confirm the bun ingredients and request a plain patty if you need to avoid gluten.
Double Bacon Cheeseburger: Two patties on a wheat bun constitute multiple ingredient-level gluten exposures due to the bun and shared assembly. Ask staff to confirm if any gluten-free bun options exist, which isn’t, sadly, and ask for a clean prep surface to lower cross-contamination risk.
Mushroom & Swiss: Served on a wheat bun with sautéed mushrooms, this sandwich contains wheat by ingredient via the bun and possibly through shared skillet use. Request that mushrooms be cooked on a cleared surface and ask staff to confirm the bread type, but it’s best to avoid it entirely.
Big Cheeseburger: The Big Cheeseburger comes with a wheat bun and toppings handled on shared counters. The bun is an ingredient-level gluten source, and shared equipment can introduce further cross-contamination. Ask staff to confirm bread alternatives and handling procedures.
Monster Burger: A large stacked burger served on a wheat bun is an ingredient-level gluten source. Multiple patties and toppings increase handling steps that can cross-contaminate. Request a separate assembly and ask whether any certified gluten-free bread is available.
Big Hot Ham ‘N’ Cheese: Hot ham and cheese sandwiches use wheat-based bread or rolls, making them ingredient-level gluten sources. Shared ovens and slicers raise cross-contamination risks. Ask staff to confirm the bread type and request the meat served without bread if needed.
Original Hot Ham ‘N’ Cheese: The original uses wheat bread or a roll and is therefore an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared slicers and toasters increase cross-contamination potential. Request ingredient confirmation and consider plain ham if you need a safer option.
Big Roast Beef: Roast beef sandwiches are served on wheat rolls or buns, which are ingredient-level gluten sources. Shared prep areas and slicers may increase cross-contamination risk. Ask staff whether any gluten-free bread is available and request cleaned prep surfaces.
Original Roast Beef: Served on wheat-based bread, this sandwich is an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared toasters and prep counters further create cross-contamination hazards. Request the beef without bread or confirm a certified gluten-free roll if one exists.
Monster Roast Beef: A larger roast beef sandwich served on a wheat roll is an ingredient-level gluten source. Multiple handling steps heighten cross-contamination risk. Ask the staff to confirm bread type and preparation method before ordering, but it’s probably best to avoid this entirely.
Jumbo Chili Dog: A chili dog uses a wheat hot dog bun and chili that may include thickening agents. The bun is an ingredient-level gluten source, and shared grills or steamers can cross-contaminate. Ask staff to confirm bun ingredients and request a plain hot dog without a bun if necessary.
Spicy Chicken Sandwich: Spicy chicken sandwiches are often breaded or sauced and served on wheat buns. Both the coating and the bun are ingredient-level gluten sources, and frying or griddle use can cross-contaminate. Request ingredient details and avoid unless staff confirms a gluten-free preparation.
Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich: Breaded chicken contains wheat in the coating and is usually cooked in shared oil, creating an ingredient-level gluten source and high cross-contamination risk. Do not order unless the restaurant explicitly verifies a gluten-free batter and dedicated fryer.
Nashville Hot Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich: Nashville-style variant uses a wheat bun and breaded chicken with spicy glaze. The coating and bun are ingredient-level gluten sources, and the fryer and sauce station add cross-contamination risk. Ask staff to confirm preparation and avoid this if you’re uncertain.
BLT Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich: Combines breaded chicken with wheat bread and toppings handled on shared surfaces. Multiple ingredient-level gluten sources and shared fryers increase the cross-contamination risk. Request the chicken plain or confirm a verified gluten-free method before ordering.
Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders: Breaded tenders contain wheat and are commonly cooked in shared fryers, creating both ingredient-level gluten exposure and a high cross-contamination risk. Ask staff whether a dedicated fryer is used and avoid if strict gluten avoidance is required.
Spicy Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders: Spicy tenders are breaded and fried, making them ingredient-level gluten sources. Shared fryer oil and prep stations raise cross-contamination risk. Request ingredient confirmation and dedicated fryer verification if you consider ordering.
Ranch Tender Wrap: Wraps normally use flour tortillas and prepared sauces. The flour wrap is an ingredient-level gluten source, and shared prep areas can cross-contaminate fillings. Confirm whether a certified gluten-free wrap exists and ask staff to verify safe handling.
Honey Mustard Tender Wrap: Uses a wheat flour tortilla and sauce that may include wheat-containing stabilizers. The tortilla is an ingredient-level gluten source, and shared utensils and prep stations increase cross-contamination risk. Request ingredient details and a cleaned prep surface.
Spicy Tender Wrap: Spicy wraps use wheat tortillas and possibly breaded chicken or sauces containing wheat. Both the wrap and any breaded components are ingredient-level gluten sources. Ask staff to confirm all components and avoid unless a verified gluten-free wrap is available.
As we can see, every single Hardee’s burger, sandwich, hot dog, wrap, and breaded chicken item comes with an abundance of wheat or gluten components, so avoid them if you have celiac disease. Moreover, there’s also the very high cross-contamination risk from the use of shared fryers, grills, toasters, and prep stations. 🥓🧀🥩🍖
Kids’ Meals, Sides & Desserts
The rest of Hardee’s focused lineup is occupied by their kids’ meals, in addition to some of their delectable sides and sweet treats, but be warned, as most of these are made up of the restaurant’s wheat-based buns, biscuits, pastry dough, and breading, which includes their kids’ meals and bakery-centric desserts, too! 🍔🥪🍟🍗
❌ Kids Meal – Cheeseburger
❌ Kids Meal – Hamburger
❌ Kids Meal – Grilled Cheese
❌ Kids Meal – Hot Dog
❌ Kids Meal – Chicken Tenders
⚠️ Natural-Cut French Fries
❌ Crispy Curls
❌ Cinnamon Roll
❌ Cinnamon ‘N’ Raisin Biscuit
❌ Side of Gravy
❌ Apple Turnover
✅ Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shake – Vanilla
✅ Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shake – Chocolate
✅ Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shake – Strawberry
✅ Buddy Fruits Organic Apple Sauce Pouch
To compare these against the rest, let’s break them down to figure out how they’re made:
Kids Meal – Cheeseburger: It comes on a wheat-based bun by default and is therefore an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared grills, toasters, and assembly counters add cross-contamination risk. Ask staff to confirm bread type and request the patty without a bun if you need a lower-risk option.
Kids Meal – Hamburger: Served on a wheat bun by default and is an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared handling and toasters increase cross-contamination risk. Request the hamburger patty without the bun or confirm whether a certified gluten-free bun exists at that location.
Kids Meal – Grilled Cheese: Uses wheat bread or a roll and melted cheese, making it an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared griddles and utensils create additional cross-contamination risk. Ask staff to confirm bread type and request a plain cheese-free protein as a safer alternative.
Kids Meal – Hot Dog: Hot dogs are served in wheat buns by default, which are ingredient-level gluten sources. Shared steamers and prep stations can also cross-contaminate. Request the hot dog without the bun or confirm a gluten-free roll option and cleared handling before ordering.
Kids Meal – Chicken Tenders: Breaded tenders are coated with wheat-containing batter and are cooked in shared fryers, creating both ingredient-level gluten exposure and a high cross-contamination risk, so avoid this dish completely.
Natural-Cut French Fries: Fries are potatoes and gluten-free by ingredient, but many locations cook fries in shared fryers with breaded items. This creates a meaningful cross-contamination risk, so request fryer practices be confirmed before ordering and consider an alternate side if unsure.
Crispy Curls: Curly fries are typically fried in shared oil and may be seasoned with prepared mixes. They are listed as containing wheat in the allergen data you supplied, so treat them as an ingredient-level gluten source unless the location confirms dedicated fryer usage and gluten-free seasoning.
Cinnamon Roll: Bakery-style cinnamon rolls are made from wheat flour and are an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared baking and topping stations increase cross-contamination risk. Request ingredient confirmation and avoid ordering unless a certified gluten-free pastry is available and handling is verified.
Cinnamon ‘N’ Raisin Biscuit: This biscuit contains wheat flour and dried fruit and is therefore an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared ovens and prep surfaces create cross-contamination risk. Ask staff to confirm the recipe and whether a certified gluten-free biscuit is available before ordering.
Side of Gravy: Gravy at many fast-food locations is commonly thickened with wheat-based roux or mixes, making it an ingredient-level gluten source. Shared ladles and prep containers increase cross-contamination risk. Request the ingredient list and avoid gravy unless staff confirms a gluten-free recipe.
Apple Turnover: Turnovers use pastry dough made with wheat flour and are a major source of gluten in the ingredients list. Shared baking and topping stations add cross-contamination risk. Ask staff to confirm whether a certified gluten-free pastry option exists before ordering.
Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shake – Vanilla: Vanilla shake made from ice cream and milk is typically gluten-free by ingredient when no cookie or mix-in is added. Confirm that no cookie crumbs, cones, or flavored syrups containing gluten were used and request that the shake be prepared separately.
Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shake – Chocolate: A chocolate shake is usually gluten-free by ingredient when made from standard ice cream and chocolate syrup. Ask staff to confirm that the syrup and any mix-ins contain no wheat, and request sealed handling if you need to minimize cross-contamination.
Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shake – Strawberry: The strawberry shake is generally gluten-free by ingredient when prepared from fruit and ice cream. Confirm there are no cookies or cake mix-ins and request the shake to be made in a clean container to reduce cross-contamination risk.
Buddy Fruits Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: Factory-sealed apple sauce pouches are gluten-free by ingredient and carry minimal cross-contamination risk. Prefer sealed, single-serve packaged items like this when you want the lowest-risk option available.
Notably, wheat and gluten ingredients are common here, in addition to the pretty high risk of cross-contamination with Hardee’s French fries due to their use of shared fryers, but you do have a small handful of safe options, in particular, the ice-cream shake. Other than that, however, most of Hardee’s dishes are unsafe. 🌭🧀🍎🍦
Beverages
So far, seeing that nearly all of Hardee’s food items contain wheat and gluten components and feature ungodly amounts of cross-contamination, their drinks menu is the only haven for those with celiac disease, with a large selection of factory-sealed beverages and drinks that are prepared from simple, gluten-free ingredients. 🧃🥤🍋
✅ Regular Coffee
✅ Decaffinated Coffee
✅ Regular Milk – 1%
✅ Simply Orange Juice
✅ Dasani Water
✅ Hand-Crafted Lemonade
✅ Hand-Crafted Strawberry Lemonade
✅ Honest Kids “Appley Ever After” Organic Apple Juice
✅ Barq’s Root Beer
✅ Coca-Cola
✅ Coca-Cola Cherry
✅ Coca-Cola Zero
✅ Diet Coke
✅ Diet Dr Pepper
✅ Dr Pepper
✅ Fuze Raspberry Tea
✅ Hi-C Orange Lavaburst
✅ Mello Yello
✅ Minute Maid Lemonade
✅ Powerade Mountain Berry Blast
✅ Sprite
Just to be 100% sure that we didn’t miss anything, let’s break these drinks down bit by bit:
Regular Coffee: Brewed coffee is gluten-free by ingredient. Moreover, the cross-contamination risk is low when served from a dedicated coffee machine, but confirm that no flavored syrups or mix-ins are added. Request plain coffee and confirm handling if you are highly sensitive.
Decaffinated Coffee: Decaf coffee is gluten-free by ingredient when brewed without added flavorings. Ask staff to confirm no flavored shots are added and request that the decaf line be used to avoid accidental mixing with flavored coffees.
Regular Milk – 1%: Packaged or dispensed milk that is gluten-free by ingredient. Confirm that any flavored add-ins are not used and ask staff to serve milk from a clean container or unopened carton if you want the lowest cross-contamination risk.
Simply Orange Juice: Factory-bottled orange juice is gluten-free by ingredient and carries minimal cross-contamination risk. You should prefer sealed bottles when possible and request it unopened or ask staff to open it in front of you if you are concerned about handling.
Dasani Water: Sealed bottled water is the lowest-risk beverage option and naturally gluten-free. You could also choose an unopened bottle when possible to minimize handling and cross-contamination.
Hand-Crafted Lemonade: Freshly made lemonade is typically gluten-free by ingredient when prepared from juice, water, and sugar. Confirm that no flavored syrups or malt-based mixes are used and request that it be prepared fresh without added mix-ins.
Hand-Crafted Strawberry Lemonade: Strawberry lemonade is usually gluten-free by ingredient when made from fruit purée and juice. Ask staff to confirm the recipe contains no gluten-containing thickeners or syrups and request the drink be prepared in a clean container.
Honest Kids “Appley Ever After” Organic Apple Juice: Factory-sealed apple juice pouches are gluten-free by ingredient and carry very low cross-contamination risk. Prefer sealed, single-serve items when ordering for strict gluten avoidance.
Barq’s Root Beer: Packaged or fountain root beer is typically gluten-free by ingredient. If you’re ordering from a fountain, confirm that no flavor pumps are engaged and request a fresh pour from a clean dispenser.
Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola in bottle or fountain form is gluten-free by ingredient. Ask the staff to confirm no flavored shots are used and request a clean cup or a sealed bottle to reduce handling-based cross-contamination.
Coca-Cola Cherry: Flavoured Coca-Cola is formulated without any gluten-containing ingredients. Confirm that no additional syrup pumps or mix-ins were used at the dispenser and request a fresh pour if you’re worried about cross-contamination.
Coca-Cola Zero: Coca-Cola Zero is gluten-free by ingredient as a bottled or fountain product. Ask the staff to confirm no flavored additions and request a clean cup or sealed container for the lowest risk.
Diet Coke: Diet Coke is gluten-free by ingredient. When served from a fountain, confirm that no flavour shots are engaged and request a fresh pour if you want to minimize any handling-based risk.
Diet Dr Pepper: Diet Dr Pepper is gluten-free by ingredient. Ask staff to confirm the dispenser has not been mixed with any flavored pumps and request a clean cup if you have concerns about shared dispensing nozzles.
Dr Pepper: Standard Dr Pepper is gluten-free by ingredient in bottled or fountain form. You could also request a sealed bottle or a fresh pour from a clean dispenser to keep the cross-contamination risk low.
Fuze Raspberry Tea: Bottled or canned Fuze Raspberry Tea is gluten-free by ingredient. Confirm that no additional flavor pumps are used if a fountain version is served, and request the sealed bottle where possible.
Hi-C Orange Lavaburst: Packaged or fountain Hi-C is typically gluten-free by ingredient. When ordering fountain pours, ask staff to confirm no flavor shots were added and request a freshly dispensed serving.
Mello Yello: Mello Yello is gluten-free by ingredient in bottled or fountain formats. Request a sealed container or a fresh pour and confirm that no additional syrups or mix-ins were engaged at the dispenser.
Minute Maid Lemonade: Bottled Minute Maid Lemonade is gluten-free by ingredient. If a fountain version is served, confirm the station has no added flavor pumps and request a fresh pour to minimize cross-contamination.
Powerade Mountain Berry Blast: Packaged Powerade is gluten-free by ingredient and low risk for cross-contamination. Prefer sealed bottles and confirm that no added syrups or mix-ins are used for mixed drinks.
Sprite: Sprite is gluten-free by ingredient in bottled or fountain form. Ask for a clean pour and request no added flavor shots to avoid any handling-based cross-contamination.
Nevertheless, while Hardee’s beverages are generally pretty low-risk for gluten exposure, especially those that come in sealed bottles or cans, you should still be wary of any risk of cross-contamination, mainly from Hardee’s use of flavored pumps, added mix-ins, or shared dispensers, which could contain stray traces of gluten. ☕🍵🍺
To Sum Up
Long story short, if you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, it might be best to skip Hardee’s entirely, as pretty much their entire menu is made up of food that is built exclusively with wheat and gluten ingredients. 🍔🥪
Whether it’s their burgers, sandwiches, wraps, fried chicken, biscuits, sides, and more, you would struggle to find even a single safe dish here, with or without cross-contamination in mind, and with limited options for gluten-free substitutions, too. 🍟
They’re challenging if you have a strict gluten-free diet, thus leaving you with only a couple of safer options, and even these have to contend with a risk of cross-contamination due to Hardee’s shared kitchens, even if they’re in the same category.
So, unless you’re happy with just ice-cream shakes and beverages, there’s not a whole lot to find here at Hardee’s that matches up with my diet, as someone with celiac disease, so it’s high time for me to look elsewhere for a bit to eat instead. 🌾👎
In the meantime, would you like to discover other restaurants with a hearty selection of gluten-free items? Then, 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 gluten-free menu guides and some tasty gluten‑free recipes, too!
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 Golden Corral, Perkins, Dave and Buster’s, Buca di Beppo, Dutch Bros, White Castle, Hooters, On the Border, TGI Fridays, Bahama Breeze, Ruby Tuesday, Bonefish Grill, Smokey Bones, and more! 🍔🍟🍗
Stay safe and gluten‑aware, my celiac friends! 💖🥗
Frequently Asked Questions
While working on this Hardee’s gluten-free menu guide, I came across some rather interesting questions floating around social media and some foodie forums, particularly on Reddit, so I thought I’d try and answer those burning questions here:
Is Hardee’s gluten-free?
No, Hardee’s is not considered gluten-free. Most of their menu items contain wheat and gluten components, and they don’t offer gluten-free buns, biscuits, or bread alternatives, either. Cross-contamination is also a concern due to shared cooking equipment, in addition to Hardee’s shared kitchen spaces and cooking environment.
Does Hardee’s have any gluten-free menu items?
Hardee’s has very limited gluten-free options at the moment. Most of their safe choices are beverages, ice-cream shakes, or pre-packaged items that don’t contain gluten. Meanwhile, Hardee’s food items are generally unsuitable for anyone with celiac disease, owing to the use of gluten-containing ingredients or preparation methods.
Are Hardee’s French fries gluten-free?
No, Hardee’s French Fries are not considered gluten-free, either. They are cooked in shared fryers (with shared fryer oil), as with most other dishes on Hardee’s menu that are fried, which creates a high risk of cross-contamination with breaded items containing gluten. As a result, they’re best treated as a cautionary item or avoided entirely.
Does Hardee’s offer gluten-free buns or bread?
No, as of writing this, Hardee’s doesn’t currently offer gluten-free buns, biscuits, wraps, or breakfast breads, and they currently offer extremely limited gluten-free substitutions and workarounds. All of their burgers and sandwiches come standard on wheat-based breads and buns, with no gluten-free alternative available right now.
Can people with celiac disease eat at Hardee’s?
People with celiac disease may find that Hardee’s menu is difficult to navigate safely. The lack of gluten-free menu items, combined with the widespread cross-contamination risks, makes it hard to order a complete any meal with confidence. Only their sealed beverages and select packaged items are typically suitable and somewhat safe.
Photo Credit
Michael Steeber from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Becky ✍️
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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