The Surprising Reason Texas Roadhouse Fries Aren't Gluten-Free

A basket of glistening, golden, crispy french fries seems like a safe snack bet for people who suffer from gluten intolerance. After all, gluten is something that's mainly found in grains, and potatoes are starches so things like fries, chips, and mashed potatoes don't typically contain any gluten. However, we recently discovered that Texas Roadhouse fries are not on its gluten-friendly suggestions list. In fact, the American steakhouse chain goes to lengths to specify that certain plates are only gluten-free with modifications like the burgers with "no fries" and no buns, or the vegetable plate with "no fries" and "no rice." So why doesn't Texas Roadhouse consider its fries gluten-free?

While an official reason hasn't been given, Texas Roadhouse does state, "cross-contact with allergens may occur."  Cross-contamination is one of the more common ways gluten proteins can make their way onto a non-gluten ingredient. For example, some quinoas — a seed, not a grain — are not considered gluten-free because they're harvested and processed alongside grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Texas Roadhouse fries are most likely cooked up in a fryer that's also used for its other fried appetizers like the rattlesnake bites, fried pickles, and cactus blossom — all of which have breading that can contain gluten, thus cross-contaminating the cooking process. Additionally, some speculate that the seasoning on Texas Roadhouse fries is wheat-based which is common in some seasonings.

While Texas Roadhouse doesn't have a specific, gluten-free menu, it does have a lot of gluten-free options as well as modifications you can make to your meals. On its gluten-friendly information sheet, the company states, "Please note that we are a scratch-based concept, and cross-contact with allergens could occur in the preparation process. Please let us know if you have an allergy." An example of items that are considered gluten-friendly are its meat-based dishes like the hand-cut steaks, grilled BBQ chicken, and pulled pork dinner without the bread. You can also pair these dishes with a side of veggies without the rice. In short, the staff at Texas Roadhouse does offer menu alterations and swaps to provide more inclusive dining options. 

If you're concerned about ingesting gluten, but still want to participate in the groovy good time that is eating a meal at Texas Roadhouse, just be sure to communicate your needs to your server. From there, they should be able to walk you through what's safest for you to eat.