Are Burger King Fries Actually Gluten Free?

Even if it's imperceptible to the palate, flour often sneaks its way into fast food recipes. In terms of fast food fries, it's usually due to some sort of coating for texture (such as battered fries). So, if you're on a gluten-free or mostly gluten-avoidant diet, you'll want to really watch ingredient lists carefully.

In the case of Burger King's fast food fries, its allergen statement indicates that no, there is no wheat present in its recipe, which is good. But you're not out of the woods yet. The issue is that the fries are cooked in the same fryers as numerous gluten-containing items, such as every single Burger King chicken item on the menu, which are all coated with breading. That means there's a risk of cross-contamination or cross-contact, either on preparation surfaces or through fryer oil. Shared deep fryer oil can still transfer gluten to other food, so if trace amounts of gluten are unsafe for you to consume, you'll have to skip eating the fries.

Getting any food at a fast food chain that's prepared in a gluten-free environment is a tricky proposition to begin with since there's usually some sort of carb-laden vehicle for main entrees like bread, pizza crust, or wheat-based tortillas in the kitchen. But if you're willing to hazard that particular risk, there are a few fast food joints that have dedicated fryers for their fries. Celiac.com, an online resource for those actively looking to avoid gluten, has compiled a list of places that abide by this practice.

Of the most popular chains, Five Guys, In-N-Out Burger, Smashburger, and Red Robin all have dedicated fryers for fries. Again, each of those places serves burgers, which means the potential for cross-contamination is very real. However, if trace amounts of gluten exposure are okay for you, the fries from these chains are not only gluten-free but also come in minimal contact with wheat-based ingredients. As mentioned earlier, Burger King is a slightly different story due to the shared fryer equipment, so you're possibly out of luck there.