We had a busy weekend with soccer and found ourselves at dinner time and HUNGRY! I had been telling my husband I was hearing good things about Red Robin and gluten free buns and french fries. I can tell you now I will be verifying one claim and debunking the other — at least with my experience.
Gluten Free Bun at Red Robin
Gluten Free Red Robin Bacon Cheeseburger
As I mentioned, I was telling my husband on Sunday that word on the street is that Red Robin now had gluten free buns and we should try it some time. So he took the next exit and suddenly we were there! Emma ordered a bacon cheeseburger off the gluten free menu. They asked if she wanted the gluten free bun and she said yes.
When she bit into it, she was in heaven. She literally was doing a happy dance in her seat while she was eating. “This bun is REALLY good,” she said. I think it was even made better by the fact that she, for the first time, had bacon on her cheeseburger. Doesn’t everything taste better with bacon?
I can report to you the bun was from French Meadow Bakery in Eagan, MN. Just look at the photo. It looks like the perfect burger doesn’t it? You wouldn’t have a clue this is gluten free. Good job guys!
Red Robin French Fries
The next item I had heard was the fries were gluten free! I am here to debunk that claim — at least at my Red Robin location. Actually the way it was explained on the menu– the fries technically are gluten free, but they go in a fryer that may contaminate them. I double checked with the server and she confirmed that location did not have a dedicated fryer. Emma had a caesar salad (no croutons) as her side and was happy with that.
But back to the fries. My friend who lives in the Virginia/DC area says the Red Robin near her actually has a dedicated gluten free fryer for the french fries and was able to have them with her gluten free bunned burger.
I am saying– don’t plan on the fries when you go gluten free at Red Robin…just be pleasantly surprised if they are a safe option. But based on our experience there, fries or no fries, Emma wants to go back.
Tags: celiac, gluten-free, hamburger bun, Red Robin
February 14th, 2012 at 9:05 am
Thanks for the heads up. We don’t eat out often {maybe I’m still in control freak mode, having just switched over to GF in the past year}…When I’ve tried Red Robin near us, they’ve been really good about no croutons/no garlic bread with the cobb salad, my usual.
Occasionally, I’ll try a chicken breast sandwich sans bun, sometimes with the lettuce wrap, sometimes without & fruit on the side. Great to hear we might be able to enjoy the fries there from time to time!
Heather
February 14th, 2012 at 9:33 am
I live in Utah, and I talked to all of the general managers of the Utah locations and they all have dedicated fryers for the frys, and all careful about cross contamination. Hopefully your Red Robin will catch on!
February 14th, 2012 at 10:27 am
Was this the Red Robin in Shoreview off Lexington & 694? I’ve asked about the fries there several times – and gotten different answers every time, which is never encouraging. Sometimes it’s, Yes, the fryer is dedicated, sometimes, No, it’s not, and once, It’s usually dedicated, but sometimes not, but just got fresh oil this morning and so far has only been used for fries.
Makes love Mad Jacks in Vadnais Heights just that much more!
February 14th, 2012 at 10:57 am
I live in Baltimore and my husband and I frequent Red Robin. Since going GF, I stick with the lettuce wrapped burger and fries without seasoning salt (the salt has gluten in it). I’ll be pleasantly surprised if they now have a bun too! I do however ‘feel’ better about the fries if my burger is wrapped in lettuce. Enjoy! Monica
February 14th, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Yes! Gluten Free buns are now available nationwide, and we’re pleased that Emma approves.
Red Robin… YUMMM!
Marcie
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers
February 15th, 2012 at 8:00 am
Yes Beth, This was the one in Shoreview, MN. We enjoy Mad Jacks, but this burger and bun was way better in Emma’s world.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:39 am
When I was down in the US visiting my mom earlier this month we went to a Red Robin and I had the bacon burger. It was so good! It is always nice to make a gluten-free discovery like this!
February 26th, 2012 at 8:16 pm
I ate there last night. I am GF, but not Celiac, so I had the fries, as I can tolerate such a level of cross-contamination. My RR does not have GF buns, but I was able to have my burger wrapped in lettuce. I got two good, concave portions of iceberg lettuce which held everything together fairly well. It was slightly messy, but very satisfying. I am in northern VA.
February 27th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Our Red Robins have dedicated fryers and Udi’s buns. It’s a go-to place for us, for sure.
Good to know when we travel to be careful about the fryers, though, and always ask if it is dedicated.
April 27th, 2012 at 11:52 am
Your blog is now featured on our website! Check it out under the “Burger Hub” section.
Red Robin… YUMMM!
Marcie
Red Robin
May 1st, 2012 at 7:37 am
Thanks!!
May 5th, 2012 at 12:32 pm
I literally cried years of joy after reading your review! A Bun? Heaven! Then called my only RR in Austin, TX and they do not have the buns…I cried tears of frustration and sadness. However knowing I can have fries Gluten Free made up for it! I enjoy your dedication to menus and where to go! You are bookmarked in my iPhone and home computer! Thank you.
May 26th, 2012 at 10:11 am
I ate at the Edwardsville, IL Red Robin last evening – was thrilled to see the gluten free bun on the menu – it was delicious – I had it with the grilled chicken – fries were fine for me – very nice to have a bun with my sandwich!
June 14th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
This is wonderful! I just called my local RR (Towson, MD) and they do have GF buns, although they do not have a dedicated fryer. Fantastic. It’ll be so nice to sit down and eat a burger just like a “normal” person.
June 19th, 2012 at 3:25 pm
I live in Medford Oregon and they actually have a fryer that is dedicated only to gluten free french fries. I was pretty stoked for this. I dont have any allergy but both my kids do. I eat gluten free with them though and I can confirm the gluten free bun is DELICIOUS. Props to Red Robin for updating their menu for this allergy
June 23rd, 2012 at 3:10 pm
omg am dancing at red robin in hnd,nv….was able to have gluten free burger with fry’s (designated fryer)~~~yellow basket gf, red basket regular.
I wanted to do a jig on the table as my family was cheering because I could be normal in a restaurant !!!! kudos red robin..
or was I dancing because the waiter was so handsome, informed, and made our meal so successful. thnx’s eric. I am moving in to red robin ha-ha.
June 25th, 2012 at 10:35 pm
When I found out why I was so sick and realized my favorite food,the cheeseburger, was a thing of the past, it was a sad, sad day. I made myself content with the lettuce wrapped offerings from red robin, because they were as close as I was going to get, I thought! Well let me tell you, I am 46 and I was doing a loud, laughing, happy dance too when I finally bit into my first bacon cheeseburger with a really delicious bun in a long time! Kudos to you Red Robin!
October 11th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
I went to Red Robin about a week ago and got the gluten free burger and was told the fries were gluten free as well (&I asked for no seasoning) but I was sick as a dog for 3 days after eating there. So be careful if you cannot have contamination.
November 12th, 2012 at 7:16 pm
Tonight I had something that I’ve been CRAVING since going gluten-free–a bacon cheeseburger on a GF BUN! It was so great and tasted and had the texture of a gluten bun, so much that I actually had to confirm it with the manager that it was actually GF! I will absolutely be back next time the bacon cheeseburger urge strikes!
March 10th, 2013 at 12:38 pm
Yes, be extra cautious of the fries. I recently discovered that this weekend after sampling Red Robin’s gluten free menu and ended up in a relapse.
The waitress was very accommodating with my order and even came back to the table to let me know that the guacamole that came with my burger was not gluten free and offered to substitute avocado which I happily accepted. Both the fries and the burger were excellent! But I found out the hard way the fries are a gamble I am no longer willing to take.
May 7th, 2013 at 10:52 pm
It’d be great if Red Robin mentioned that they offered a gluten free bun on their official gluten-free menu.
June 9th, 2013 at 10:29 am
Interesting. As we all know dining out is always a risk because we are not making the food ourselves. We have never had a problem with the fries. But then again, if they mistakenly don’t request them as gluten free, we may never know that they contain gluten because it’s not obvious.
It is possible the seasoning salt they put on the traditional fries is not gf, and that would be a good way to question any gf fries that come your way.