Gluten Free Works Gluten Free Resources News and Tips
Fast-food chains are quickly joining the gluten-free party with menus featuring gluten-free foods. Burger King is the latest with their recent publication of a gluten-free menu that goes so far as to include a chicken breast filet!
New Gluten-Sensitive List Available at www.bk.com
MIAMI – Jan. 5, 2010 – Burger King Corp. (NYSE: BKC) today released a Gluten-Sensitive List: foods and ingredients on the BURGER KING® restaurant menu in the U.S. that do not contain wheat, barley, oats or rye. As part of nutrition efforts under its BK Positive Steps® corporate social responsibility program, the gluten-sensitive nutrition information supports BKC’s commitment to provide guests with access to detailed nutrition information so they can make informed choices that fit their dietary and lifestyle preferences.
“We understand that our guests have individual dietary needs, and as part of our HAVE IT YOUR WAY® brand promise, Burger King Corp. offers menu items for individuals with gluten sensitivity,” says Cindy Syracuse, senior director, cultural marketing, Burger King Corp. “With our Gluten-Sensitive list, we’re making it easier for our guests to identify these choices.”
The Gluten-Sensitive List and other nutrition resources, including detailed nutrition facts, meal planning tools and information about allergens for all U.S. menu items, are available at www.bk.com. Some examples of BURGER KING® menu items in the U.S. that do not contain wheat, barley, oats or rye include:
BK® Fresh Apple Fries with low-fat caramel dipping sauce
All BURGER KING® beef patties
Egg Omelet
French Fries
HERSHEY®’S Fat Free Milk
Side salad (no croutons) with KEN’S® Honey Mustard, Light Italian or Ranch dressing
TENDERGRILL® Chicken Breast Filet
In addition, under BK Positive Steps® in nutrition, BKC has identified more than 350 BURGER KING® meal combinations that provide 650 calories or less – approximately one-third of a daily 2,000 calorie diet. Examples of these meal combinations are featured on tray liners, queue signs and window decals at participating BURGER KING® restaurants nationwide, as well as available online at www.bk.com. The company also requires that all BURGER KING® restaurants in the U.S. feature a detailed nutrition poster in a visible and prominent location near the counter, and make nutrition brochures available for guests.
ABOUT BURGER KING CORPORATION
The BURGER KING® system operates more than 12,000 restaurants in all 50 states and in 73 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. Approximately 90 percent of BURGER KING® restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. In 2008, Fortune magazine ranked Burger King Corp. among America’s 1,000 largest corporations and Ad Week named it one of the top three industry-changing advertisers within the last three decades and it was recently recognized by Interbrand on its top 100 “Best Global Brands” list. Through its BK Positive Steps® corporate responsibility program, the BURGER KING® system is committed to being a socially responsible brand in all areas of its business – food, people, the environment and corporate governance. To learn more about the BK Positive Steps® corporate responsibility program and view the complete fiscal 2009 report, visit www.bk.com/corporateresponsibility. For more information on Burger King Corp., please visit the company’s Web site at www.bk.com.
CONTACT:
Adelaide Geik, RD
Burger King Corp.
312/233-1352
adelaide.geik@edelman.com
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“Author Information: John Libonati, Philadelphia, PA
Publisher, Glutenfreeworks.com.
Editor & Publisher, Recognizing Celiac Disease.
John can be reached at john.libonati@glutenfreeworks.com.”
I recalled seeing this article about BK’s new sensitivity to gluten-sufferers when I was recently travelling with a gluten-eater….I was so excited to be able to indulge in ‘a small order of fries’ after double checking the nutrition listing in the restaurant, and with the clerk who took my order. She confirmed ‘gluten-free’ with no glazed look; even seemed to smile at my excitement. I managed two slim fries on my way to the table, where I sat down and looked at the remainder – all nestled around a lovely, golden, Onion Ring. The manager returned my money with an apology, explaining that the fries and onion rings are held side-by-side and it was accidental that the onion ring was scooped up with the fries. Why would they bother to dedicate a fryer to potatoes only to dump them next to ‘W’-containing items? If they’re not going to educate their managers and overhaul their procedures, they shouldn’t even attempt (or be allowed)to advertise gluten-free (excuse me, gluten-sensitive) Continue to pack your own food on road trips!
I wouldn’t eat there. I tried Wendy’s gluten free (gluten sensitive) options a while back and I was horribly glutened. All I had was chili and rice (they offer white rice in Hawaii). I’m sorry, but unless every Burger King location has gone through certification training, goes through it regularly, and trains each new employee to properly handle the gluten sensitive orders then it is not going to be taken seriously or handled safely.
Any restaurant that tries to say fries are gluten free almost always loses my business!! Rarely do restaurants have dedicated gluten free fryers. If they use community fryers the food that enters the oil is contaminated with the remnants of the other foods, therefore it’s no longer gluten free.
I also agree that there is too much turn over in the fast food industry for them to have knowledgable staff who care about their customers with food sensitivities.