In preparation for an upcoming road trip, I compiled a list of some "safe" restaurants. (They are linked to their respective allergen information pages.)
Fast Food
*A & W's
*Arby's
*Burger King
*Hardee's
*KFC
*Jack in the Box
*McDonald's
*Long John Silver's
*Taco Bell
*Wendy's
Some of these places serve peanuts in their desserts. Even if a dessert does not have peanuts, I stay away from it due to the risk of cross contamination. Some of the salads contain tree nuts as well if that is a concern (we avoid them).
My rule of thumb for fast food is that if I can see their preparation area and it appears that the desserts are far away from the burger and fries prep area and cleanliness standards appear to be high, I will allow Tyler to eat there. I also recommend wiping the seat and table down before eating just in case.
Restaurants (always tell your server about the PA when ordering so the chef is aware)
*Outback Steakhouse
*Red Lobster ( I spoke with the manager at our local one)
*Red Robin (While I don't have a link w/ allergen info I have read in multiple places they have a peanut allergy menu!! We plan to try it out on our trip and I will post a review!!)
Again, stay away from desserts, even if they are appear peanut free.
Pizza
*Chuck E Cheese
*CiCi's
*Domino's Pizza
*Papa John's
*Pizza Hut
Stay away from desserts here, too.
Absolute No-No places for us:
*Chick fil a (fry in peanut oil)
*Chili's (multiple peanut desserts, plus they put PB in chili, which puts it way too close to food Tyler might eat.)
*Dairy Queen (sign at our local store states not to eat there if you are PA)
*Ice cream place of any kind (risk of cross contamination is too high)
If you know of other "safe" places, please leave a comment or send me an e-mail.
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94 comments:
My understanding is that Chik-fil-a and like are not a problem due to the peanut oil (although I don't know bout the rest of the menu) as the cheaper peanut oil they use is heat extracted and the heat treatment destroys the protein that causes the reaction. It's the cold-pressed (typically gourmet) oil that can cause problems.
Any comment?
Thanks for the comment on this. Yes, I have heard this as well. However, our allergist advised us to stay away from all peanut oil just in case the proteins are not completely broken down (which the heat is supposed to do). That is why we do.
I have heard stories of very allergic PA kids doing fine at Chick fil a. I just can't, in good conscience, allow my child to eat there due to the advice of our allergist. I would be a nervous wreck while he ate, expecting him to react at any moment.
Thanks for the comment! I love other's input on this blog!!
-Robyn
Robyn, I'm with you. We avoid peanut oil absolutely and fried foods because you never know what kind of oil has been used.
We just don't want to take the risk.
Always ask in restaurants--I read a blog once that said there was peanut oil used in mashed potatoes! I wouldn't have guessed that one.
Robyn--this is a really helpful post. Everyday people search for info on food allergies and fast food. You've made their hunt for info a little easier. That is great!
Robyn
I love your blog.... You have such great posts.
It is so hard eating out with food allergies. This is some great info. I have also tried to compile some info on my blog about eating out with food allergies.
http://peanutfreegallery.blogspot.com/search/label/resturants
Jennifer O.
Thanks for all the info. Our 3 year old son has just been diagnosed with a peanut and tree nut allergy. We have always cooked from scratch so that is not a problem but eating out is daunting. The only place we have been to since is Bertuccis where they told me their pizzas are made away from all other food (and you can see them make the pizzas) but I am reluctant to eat in other places until I know some more about their allergy awareness.
Paula
My daughter is five now and wasn't given an epipen til she was almost three. Chik-fil-a is her favorite restaurant ..now I have learned and watched her reactions since being diagnosed that if it is left-over food, such as a fried turkey during the holidays (fried in peanut oil) she has weezing episodes within the day following, so we have banned that from the menu. However,if the food is hot there are no problems satisfying the theory the reactants are cooked off. My lifestyle hasn't changed since she has been diagnosed because I feel that since I didn't officially find out she was diagnosed until almost two years after her first and only reaction we shouldn't be nervous and counting her off from having a normal life. Since she has been able to talk(2yrs.old) she has been very aware that peanuts aren't cool for her to eat, and is very aware of them if she is offered.
CiCi's Pizza is safe for peanut allergic individuals.
http://www.cicispizza.com/Menus_Nutrition.asp
scroll all the down on their nutrition page where they have a great allergy statement. My daughter loves it because it's a place where she can also pick a dessert.
List of Nut Free bakeshops Canada and USA
List Nut Free Bake shops
My son with severe PA eats at Chik-Fil-A with no problems. I have always been told that refined peanut oil was safe, just not the cold pressed.
Why not Pizza Hut. My son eats the pizza without any problems.
Hi "anonymous." I had the pizza info linked to a post I wrote a while back. I have edited it to include the reason if people don't want to read the other post. The problem is that they process their sauce and several of their meats in a facility with peanuts. The link with that info is http://www.yum.com/nutrition/allergen/allergen_ph.asp.
Hope that helps!!
We actually don't trust Arby's. When they first started making the sandwiches and salads with the walnuts, I asked about avoiding cross contamination. They said they do nothing to avoid it. They use the same gloves on the walnut sandwiches as they do on all the other sandwiches. So we quit eating there. Maybe some Arby's are better than the ones here.
We also don't trust McDonalds. Our local ones have those flurry toppings including the butterfinger all over the place, and have no clue about food allergies.
My dd had a mild reaction after eating at Papa Johns. This was right after they started having the dessert, which we did not have, which is a 'may contain' for tree nuts. So Papa Johns is off our list now too.
Little Caesar's Pizza is also peanut-safe. The pizza dough and sauce are made on site. I checked with the local franchise and the corporate offices.
The only concern is the packaged cookies- these have a "processed in plant that also processes peanuts or tree nuts". These come to the store already packaged in little baggies.
Thank you for sharing such great info! I am a 25 year old female with a peanut allergy and find it hard to eat out. Chipotle which is a chain burritto resturant provides allergen info and is peanut safe. Its a nice alternative tovburger and pizza places. Also there is a website for a company in Vermont called Nut Free Chocolates. Its always hard to find candy, especially chocolate that is safe to eat. The ship across the country and are reasonably priced. The company was started because the owners son had a nut PA.
Again, thank you!
-Kristin in MA
I saw this at the Taco Bell website: "Peanuts and tree nuts are not used at Taco Bell restaurants. May be used in common manufacturing plants." Also, the same company owns Pizza Hut and KFC (which also warns that their food, although has no peanuts, shared common manufacturing plants. So, my family avoids all three of them. Thanks for a great website! - M.
To the latest anonymous (in case you come back to read this). The company that owns Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC (which btw is Pepsi) also owns Long John Silver and A&W.
My son's allergist said that Chick Fil A is fine because of the type of oil they use. We have also had great luck with Red Robin. I inform the manager upon arrival. Also, Moe's Southwest Grill and Qdoba's are other places that we go.
Hi! I'm 19 and I just developed a severe allergy to peanuts and all tree nuts about a year ago. I used to be absolutely addicted to everything with peanuts and tree nuts before, I'm not sure how it happened. But I work at Subway so I eat there all the time, and in down time I've read just about every ingredient label in the store (I've become obsessed with labels ever since I reacted to a poppy seed muffin). The only things containing peanuts or tree nuts are certain cookies. All cookies are baked on a different size sheet from the bread and tongs are used to grab the cookies. I can't really think of an opportunity for cross contamination since cookies are made before the store opens. I once had a reaction when I decided to eat a chocolate chip cookie, it was early on before I knew what I was allergic to, but I've never reacted to any of the actual food there. Not every store carries those cookies either, I'd ask your local store. And thank you so much for all the information on here, I always hate asking places if they use any peanut oil or anything like that. Its been incredibly helpful as I'm trying to learn how to live with this.
FYI - Five Guys, a burger joint, is an absolute no-no. They cook everything in peanut oil, give customers peanuts to munch on while they wait for their food, and are not shy about dismissing the PA-suffering potential customer. I would never support this establishment, even if my PA-son was not with me--purely for the moral of the issue!
Nice website, but please verify your information before you post it. Steak-n-shake does not fry in peanut oil according to their official website.
Hi anonymous. Thank you for pointing out the fact that Steak and Shake has changed their menu. I have removed their information from our "no no" list.
If you will note, this post was dated in July. I can assure that I did verify the information in July, before I posted it, as I do each and every thing that I post. I spend a lot of time researching what I write and would never post anything based only on word of mouth.
Thanks again for the information.
Hi Robyn,
To all of the Canadians reading I will say that you should not be eating at: Baton Rouge (they fry everything in peanut oil) or The Keg because too many products are made off site. I have found Montanas, Kelsey's, East Side Marios and Jack Astors to be safe. Tim Horton's cookies are all cross contaminates and should NOT be eaten by people with allergies.
My son has multiple food allergies (peanut, soy, egg, etc.)I have found Chili's to be very allergy friendly. They have special menus available regarding specific allergens. We have eaten there many, many times and never had a problem.
Thanks, Susan Oakley
My husband and I have had great service for our son at Bertucci's. This restaurant came recommended from friends who also have a PA child. Apparantly they take it very seriously due to a death years ago.
I wish I could have the confidence you all seem to have eating out. I have a daughter who was hospitalized just after her 3rd birthday because a play date friend gave her goldfish crackers with cashews mixed in. We knew she was sensitive to lots of food allergies and everyone was under strict instruction, no nuts! But it happened anyway. She was in the hospital overnight after the paramedics brushed us off like it was no big deal, while I'm begging them to give her Benedryl. Our administration of Benedryl and extra Benedryl didn't help, but at the hospital they used tons more of it as well as other drugs to get her "out of grave danger" as the ER doctor told us. Of course now we carry an EpiPen for her. It was the scariest night of my life. I thought she was going to die. To this day (almost a year later) I can't comfortably eat in a restaurant with her. I fear for her life with every bite. I don't think people in restaurants get it, I don't think they truly understand how bad it can be. And maybe I'm a more untrusting person than most.... ? If you have any advice on gaining that confidence, please post. Thanks! -Linda
Hi Linda. I am so, so sorry for your experience. I know we are very lucky we have never had an experience like yours. I am currently researching a post (or a series of posts) on parental anxiety. While I can say all the right things, you have to do what you feel right as a parent. I often joke that if something is out of my comfort zone, I will have a reaction if Tyler does not.
Even though it has been a year, I think it will get easier. Tyler had a reaction as 3.5 years. It was one of the hardest moments of my life but now I see it was one of the best things that could have happened to him. He understands his allergy now. I know he won't eat things I haven't approved and, now that he is older, I feel like he will communicate with me at the early stages of a reaction if he should ever have another one.
Thanks for the comment. Sometimes it just helps to hear someone say, "I understand." Really, I do. You just need to make the right choices for your daughter.
Thank you Robyn. I agree it was a blessing to have happened because now we know. And we feel so lucky that it happened in the presence of one of her parents because obviously we know her best. We feel so lucky it didn't happen at preschool where the teachers are stretched and distracted. We have been working with Molly so she knows about the allergies. And she was old enough to remember the episode. She is getting to the point where she will remind us to look at ingredients. So things are looking up and I know someday she'll be trustworthy, I just hope it is in time for public school kindergarten! Thanks again for your comments. You do have a great website. Keep up the great work. -Linda
Sounds like Molly and Tyler are about the same age!! As I have written before, this allergy is really shaping who he is becoming and it is not all bad. He's a compassionate and responsible kid. I am so thankful for that.
I have enjoyed talking to you! Feel free to email me anytime.My email is on the right side of the blog.
You can put steak N shake back on your no-no list. We tried to eat there last weekend and before we even stepped into the facility, there was a sticker on their door warning that "peanuts may be contained in any of their foods".
Thanks for a great site.
Hi, I noticed on the Pizza hut web site that their red sauce may contain peanuts and this was a year ago but I recently checked their site and since they have started using all natural ingredients they took the warning off so it looks like pizza hut is good to go now. Oddly enough I never knew about the sauce until last year because up until then I had eaten Pizza Hut just fine and I even asked whenever I ate at a new one and they always said not peanuts.
Luke
Thanks for the info Luke. Unfortunately it appears they have only rearranged their nutrition information. If you look right under the "key" it says their products could be processed in a facility with nuts (both tree & peanut). Here is the link I am looking at http://www.pizzahut.com/files/pdf/UPDATED%20ALLERGEN%20LIST%2002.12.09.pdf
Darn! I really had my hopes up Pizza Hut was now safe. I love their pizza but I don't want to take any chances. Plus I'm just mad they can't make a safe product!!
Hi This is Cheryl from Indiana. Mother of three and grandmother of two.
I am so glad to find this sight. My son (our youngest child)is soon to be 20. Today he went through the testing procedure for allergies after having a severe reaction to "something" he ate. Turns out he is allergic to all tree nuts, peanuts, and soy. This is going to be extremely hard to adjust to for him because he lives on a college campus. Plus he is planning to study in Australia for a semester next fall. With this website I can give him a place to start looking for safe restaurants. He also has many environmental allergies but those are the least of his AND MY concerns right now. Thanks for the information
Hi Cheryl. I am so sorry for your son's diagnosis. I can't imagine how hard it must be after not having an allergy for 20 years. My son was diagnosed shortly after staring on solids so he knows no different.
If you (or your son) ever have questions or need some emotional support, please email me (the address is on the sidebar).
-Robyn
My 10 year old son is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts and had his first reaction at 18 months. Before his allergy had been confirmed and before we were aware of their use of peanut oil, we ate at Chik-fil-a. He did not have a reaction but my allergist told me not to have him eat there again because it wasn't worth risk of him having a reaction. We haven't eaten there since.
H! Im 18 years old and have developed allergies to peanuts and some other things. One restraunt that i know uses peanut oil is Sonic!
Amanda
Thanks Amanda. I am from Oklahoma City where the world headquarters for Sonic is. I absolutely love it!! We only have one in the entire metro Detroit area where I live now!
Sonic does not state this on their website (that I could find)so it may vary by each location. Thanks for the heads up!
I have to agree with the mom who said most people who work in restaurants just don't get it, or don't care. I can't tell you the amount of restaurants we have been in where the managers look at you like you have 3 heads. I know I get very irritated when they can't even tell me what kind of oil they use in their kitchen. I mean...for pete's sake...you are the manager and you don't know? It's crazy. I can tell you one place we have gone is Busch Gardens in Virginia. The people in the kitchen actually brought out the containers that their cooking oil comes in. We were on the line to the food restaurant in Italy. It made us all feel a lot safer. My son is 14 and was diagnosed at 18 months with severe PA. It has been an adventure to say the least. I have also seen over the years, foods that used to be safe, no longer are. Vermont Nut Free is also a great company to order chocolate and fudge from. The owner has a PA son, same age as mine. They started the company because of him.
carolyn
Great advice Carolyn. People like you that have been living with PA for so many years are an inspiration to me!! I agree managers who "don't get it" scare me to death!! There is no excuse for that!!
Thanks for the shout out to Vermont Nut Free. I have their brochure on my kitchen cabinet right now!
Robyn, we were just on vacation (family reunion ~ 18 people!) and went to a Houlihans for dinner. I was so pleasantly surprised to see notations on the menu for items that may contain nuts or were made with nut oils. Normally those little notations indicate things like, "heart healthy" or "low fat." I had never seen one that highlighted dishes that would be unsafe for PA folks! Unfortunately, the kids menu didn't have the notations, but the servers went back to talk to the kitchen and were able to answer all our questions. If you're traveling or have one nearby, check it out!
Take care, Lynn
Just wanted to share that Papa John's Allergen page has changed some info. from when you originally posted it to your site. It used to state that all products (for the exception of one dessert) are from peanut-nut free facilities. It doesn't state that anymore. Not sure if I would trust them 100% now after removing that statement.
Hi - my 12 yr old is going on a school trip to Niagara Falls next month - she's only EVER had 1 reaction in her life which was the initial one that diagnosed her with a Peanut/Nut Allergy - I've been prudent ever since lol - but she's going to the Rainforest Cafe and Perkin's Restaurant as part of this "trip" - I can't find ANY info on their menus anywhere online - I've left msgs for both places to get me a copy of their menu/ingredient lists but I was wondering - has anyone with a nut allergy eaten at either of these places and are they safe?
My 12 yr old is anaphlyatic to both peanuts and nuts - thanks!
great site btw!
Mom2Girls
i've had success at Red Robin also. to be safe, i always order my daughters fries WITHOUT the seasoning they add. (she doesn't need it anyways - plus then they're always fresh and hot when they first come out!)
i make sure to always inform my wait staff of her allergy and to warn the kitchen while making her order. (just a precaution.)
i try to do as much research as i can online prior to going out.
my mother took the time to write a bunch of restaurants headquarters to get an answer.
many did not want to take responsibility and gave vague answers or only redirected her back to their website.
KFC did firmly respond to her that their food is peanut free with the acception of their parfait frozen desserts which are prepackaged and do not come in contact with the food made there. so long as we stay clear of the desserts there, the food is fine.
Wow, I was looking into Red Robin to see about Peanut Allergies with it when I stumbled across this page.
I am a 26 year old teacher, and I have had fatal food allergies from the day I was born to Nut, Peanuts, Treenuts, Shellfish and Legumes. I've carried an Epi-Pen on me-and known how to use it-since before I knew how to spell it! This is a great reference page for those of us with such allergies-it never is fun to eat out when you have to grill the manager about their foods-but better safe then sorry.
I did not know about all you wrote on Chili's. I eat there often enough but tend to only get steak, veggies and their baked potato soup-plus their molten lava cake. This seems safe enough and I have never had a reaction to their food, though there are things on their menu that I have to avoid.
Some additional places that I know are safe for me to eat at are:
-Romano's Macaroni Grill (avoid deserts)
-Whataburger
-Boston Market (avoid deserts and some of the side items)
-Taco Beuno
-Long John's Silvers
-Wendy's
-Genghis Grill (they have peanut sauces and a buffet style before you cook your food-but if you speak to the manager they will special cook your food, cover it and can even get the ingredients from the back to avoid cross contamination.)
Just be sure to speak to the manager and inform them about the allergy before you sit down to eat of course-but with such an allergy it should be second nature to do so before eating anyways.
Some additional places to avoid are:
-Burger King
-Sonic
-Panda Express-really just avoid all Chinese resturants.
-Noodles and Co.
I'll be sure to keep a bookmark of this page and check back.
Good luck to your son, family and self! Peanut allergies are not fun at all-but more and more people are becoming aware of them and being cautious with them.
-K.C.
Oh! And one more place to avoid is Krystal's.
I walked into one of their stores while visiting family out of state and their manager was a total jerk. Completely dismissed my request that she check what kind of oils they cooked in (after giving me the all inclusive 'vegetable oil' answer). She wouldn't check what kind of oil it was-as the bottle was 'too heavy'. People like that with total disreguard for allergy suffers make me so irritated.
I contacted their regional managers on this-and yes they do use peanut oil on site, so it is a no-no to visit.
-K.C.
I've had to avoid Chick-Fil-A for 10 years. I'm one of the few that still can't tolerate the refined peanut oil. My initial reaction was a Snickers bar, which I swear, I ate the previous day with no problem.
My second reaction was at a Chick-Fil-A, which we had to dial Whine-1-1 for and bring out the whabulance. My friend went back a week later, asked the manager if they were going to change anything, or at the very least, post some signs. The manager said it wasn't that big of a deal. If only I trusted lawyers...
So based on that... And my mortality, I refuse to ever go back.
My child does fine at Chik-fil-a. We have also talked to our child's allergist, who also has a child with a peanut allergy, and he said that it is because of the processing and that his child eats there regularly. Everyone has to do what they are comfortable with but we have eaten there numerous times before we found out and since we found out.
I was wondering why you should avoid Burger King. I had looked at their allergen info online in the past and saw only a couple of things that mentioned peanut stuff, so was wondering if someone could fill me in on that. My son is PA and we avoid nuts as well. The thing I'm really interested in is if there is any safe ice cream out there, lol. I found this site when searching for something (sunbutter I think lol) and now I'm gonna go check out more of it.
Hello,
Thanks, All, for the advice and comments on restaurants. I am 31 and have had peanut/nut allergies since before I was two. I've had many, many exposures, many trips to the ER and many people doubting the existence of this allergy all my life. I am so allergic that I have reactions being near peanuts, peanut products or being in a place that cooks with peanut oil. I am finding it increasingly hard to find restaurants that are 100% peanut free. I ask at every restaurant, or even call ahead because I have had some of my favorite places change how they prepare food almost overnight, and yes, I am usually told they use "vegetable" oil or get strange looks.
Unfortunately I am not able to recommend any restaurants because I do not trust any of them 100%. I never eat out alone and I always carry my Benadryl and Epi-Pen. But thank you for listing some of the restaurants with which you've had experience. Hopefully someday more people will wake up and realize that this allergy can be much more than the cause of indigestion or upset stomach. Sometimes I'd just like to not have to cook!
Thank you,
Michelle
Oh Michelle, you have my sympathies. I've been lucky, my family is, except for me, all medical and we;ve been very very careful. I've never been comfortable going to fairs or carnivals, as I tend to start wheezing badly when I get a whiff of the roasting nuts that they sell. They've also started putting a few roasted/honeyed nut stands in the local malls. Its a shame they make me wheeze so badly to smell, because they do smell nice. *sigh*
Burger King I put on my list as, when they first opened one near my home town, I asked about their food and was told they used peanut oil with some of what they fry in.
It could have changed since then though-I've just avoided it for as long as I could remember.
-K.C.
Thanks for this great site! Somebody fill me in as I am new to having a 4 year son who is severely allergic to peanuts. What is the deal with "vegetable oil?" Can vegetable oil contain peanut oil?
Auntie Anne's Pretzels is now a HUGE no no for us! Before we found out about my son's peanut allergy, we ate there several times (without incident), but now that we know, I'm checking all labels and paying close attention to where and what we eat.
I first checked the posted menu at Auntie Anne's and didn't see ANYTHING on the menu that even mentioned any kind of nut. Then I asked and the person at the counter (who was eating something himself - yuck!) said that they have an almond pretzel and pointed to it in the case. It was right smack in the middle of the entire case and would not have recognized it as having almonds on it by just looking at it. Glad I checked and we quickly moved on. Thanks for this great website.
This is a great website, thank you!
2 restaurants to add to the NO NO list are Texas Road House and Lonestar. It might be quite obvious to some, but if you've never been there --avoid them. They have buckets of peanuts everywhere to crack open and eat and then you just throw you're shells on the ground.
My middle son is 2 and has multiple food allergies including peanuts. I've learned to automatically read a label, ask questions, etc. I do work as a waitress part time and I do agree with the past posters that some managers and servers don't know or don't care--not all, some. I've seen this first hand. They are very uneducated and have no clue how serious a peanut allergy can be. I've worked at my restaurant for over 3 yrs now and have educated a lot of my coworkers on peanut allergies and food allergies in general. Once I had a little girl with a peanut allergy and the poor thing looked nervous about eating out. Her parents said she had a bad reaction somewhere else. I told her about my little boy and that I understood. I even made our kitchen manager come out to the table and said everything would be safe. It was nice to see her smile! I wish all restaurants had protocol to follow and mandatory training on food allergies.
Best of luck to all!
How sure are you that Little Caesars is nut free? I am getting pizza for a church youth group and there are a few kids with peanut allergies. I definitely do not want somebody to have a reaction over something I brought in. I contacted the home office and they say that there are no peanuts or treenuts in the store, BUT they won't guarantee it.
Any help would be wonderful! Thanks!
Hi Anonymous. I can understand your concern. The response that you received from Little Caesars is more of an issue of them releasing themselves from any legal liability if a reaction did occur. It stinks but most companies will give you this line.
We have eaten at Little Caesar's countless times with zero problems. But I would check with the parents of the children you are trying to feed and see how they feel about Little Caesar's. We all have our own comfort zones.
In Central and South Texas there is a Mexican restaurant chain called Taco Cabana and they are safe. We eat there about once or twice a week. The only item on the menu of concern is a desert that is prepackaged in a sealed container. It is served to the customer in the container still sealed. Hope this helps anyone in the Texas area.
Hi.. i just wanted to add that Jet's Pizza and Domino's pizza appear safe for person with PA. According to their allergy info on their websites.
My daughter and I went to the restaurant in Nicholasville, Kentucky on October 8, 2009 and the manager refused to tell us which food had nuts in them. My daughter is allergic to nuts and has to stay away from them. Every restaurant that we have ever gone to will get the chef and ask him to tell us where the nuts are, but the manager said he could not do that. I told him if he could not do that then my daughter would not be able to eat anything. He just gave me a blank stare with no reply. I told him that in the past at this particular restaurant the chef would always come out and tell us what has nuts, and that if my daughter has an allergic reaction the restaurant would be responsible, but he seemed completely unconcerned as he replied, "I'm not going to get the chef. There's nothing I can do about it." Even the waitress was embarrassed. That's the last time that we will ever go to that Golden Corral.
Vonique
Hi,
You might want to look into the Burger King restaurant being safe. The onion ring batter contains tree nuts my son being allergic to both don't know if your son is. We avoid it because who is to say they didn't fry onion rings in grease and the fry my sons chicken nuggets in that same grease scary!
My daughter is 11 and she is allergic to 6 out of the top 8 allergens, plus sesame. We usually eat at Uno's because they have a computer in the front lobby where you can access all of their nutrition and allergen information. This is the best idea ever!! I've also found that people at the 99 Restaurants are very concerned - a manager will come over and go over menu options if you like. If your child has a peanut allergy, be careful of sesame, too. Our allergist said that peanuts & sesame have a similar protein, and sure enough, my daugher tested positive for sesame, too. Burger King serves many of their hamburgers on sesame seed buns, so if we eat there, we go for the little Burger Shots.
We ate a Rib Crib today and the manager was very nice and printed an allergen information sheet for me and everything on the sheet was peanut free.
Kimberly
Cold Stone Creamery is a great option for ice cream. If you say peanut free when ordering, they get the ice cream from a fresh batch in the freezer with a clean and sanitized dipper and on a sanitized cookie sheet (where they mix it instead of the marble). We have eaten there several times--no problems with our severe PA 21 mos old. She doesn't have any nut or other food allergies.
I'm also there with you on the peanut oil. Our allergist was said we can give items made in the same facility or on the same equipment (it's all about whether it was the first batch through or the last after cleaning), but gave a big no to peanut oil. The research was with ultra-refined peanut oil that many restaurants might not use.
-Janell
I saw that Outback was listed as "safe" here...I personally avoid it because a manager there informed me that they use peanut flour in their butter (the butter used on the mixed veggie side dish).
I have also found that Wendy's is "safe" among other restaurants I can't think of off the top of my head...listed on my blog http://peanutfreeworld.blogspot.com
Thanks for such a great site!! You have been a great resource!!
"Slice, the perfect food" (www.sliceperfect.com) is also a nut-free pizzeria in NYC. They have two locations.
They also have gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options as well!
I am wondering why someone put Noodles and Co. on here... is it because of the thai peanut dish they serve? I have always ordered the plain mac n cheese for my son and we've never had a problem.
Ann
Hi I'm 20 years old and I've been allergic to all nuts (except almonds) for my entire life. Watch out for T.G.I. Friday's, Five Guys Burgers, and some steak houses like Lonestar have peanut shell covered floors. Most restaurants are using some type of vegetable oils like canola now. I usually just ask the waiter to ask the chefs what they use when I get there. Applebees is safe except for some desserts like the apple pie. Bennigan's, Max & Erma's, P.F. Chang's, The Cheesecake Factory (some cheesecakes have nuts or peanut butter but the other ones are not contaminated), Uno's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Panera Bread, Cosi, McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, Arby's, A&W, and Wendy's have all been fine for me. Some places like Noodles and Co. do have peanut dishes, but I've never had a problem there and I am highly allergic. I know there are plenty of other safe restaurants out there but I hope this helps!
Amanda
P.S. Make sure the kids know to avoid baked treats brought to school by other students! I've had a few bad accidents with chocolate chip cookies baked with peanut butter!
Also, you may not take this advice but I've been eating processed foods that say "May contain traces of peanuts" my entire life and have never had a problem. Companies just put that on there to cover themselves in the one in a million chance that something is contaminated.
Also, make sure that they get tested for other lentils (certain beans, peas, chickpeas, soy). I am allergic to these too.
Amanda
I just found this an want to make a comment for anyone else who stumbles across it like I did. I used to eat at Chick-fil-a, but had to stop a few years ago as they did change something about the oil they used. I never had a full reaction, but started getting sick any time I ate there (we have 3 locations here and had the problem at each). It really seems they are not using the quality of oil they used to and it may not be refined enough for some.
we have had really good luck with p f changs. my 4 year old is anaphylactic to peanut and some tree nuts but tests positive for ALL tree nuts, including coconuts. they are VERY accommodating, just don't be in a hurry. one chef will prepare all of the food for the table in a separate wok, and it will come out on special plates that designate it to all of the staff that it is a special order due to food allergy.
we have also had good luck with benihanas. they do have sesame there however. thankfully we are not allergic to that.
We love Red Robin for our PA son, they have told us that they change gloves, etc and the food comes out on a specially colored dish designating the allergy alert.
We also trust Olive Garden as we had a PA waitress tell us that the only nuts are on the desserts and they are prepared off-site.
We don't go to Red Lobster because we had a clueless and uncaring manager tell us they didn't really want to serve us anything and we should call 1-800-lobster.
-LP
We have had a wonderful experience with Maggiano's italian restaurant. If you notify the server of the allergy, a chef will come to your table and talk to you before the meal. They seemed very knowledgable and even warned us to stay away from the bread or any breaded items which are made offsite in a bakery. The chef then prepares the meal separately to avoid cross-contamination. It is one of the few restaurants I feel comfortable taking my peanut and tree nut allergic daughter.
The Cheesecake Factory-is a No No. the last time i went the manger told me there was no safe food for me there! and the time before that i told the waiter that i was very allergic to peanut oil and to make sure it wasn't cooked in peanut oil, whats he do? brings me a side of peanut oil with my burger.
PF Changs has a great system! Maggiano's too!
Another good cookie to try is Lucy's-they sell them at some starbucks
I was at an event with my parents recently and they had made sure i got a special meal Peanut, tree nut and almond free, half way threw i looked at my mom and told her i know its not possible to be nuts cause you got me this special meal but i feel my throat closing so we left! i did have my Epi pen with us but didn't use it because i am afraid i'll use it when i dont REALLY need it. I did take benadryl which made me feel alot better. But untill tonight when i've been reading many bogs i firgured out what i ate that night lima beans. I never new lima beans and peanuts where so closely linked.
S.
Hi, I'm a stay at home mom of 3 kids. A week ago, my youngest was just diagnosed with Peanut Allergy and Oranges, as well as dog allergy. He will be 3 come this August.
I had a feeling he was allergy to Peanuts. His first time with a Peanut, he gagged as soon as the peanut touched his tounge. I jumped up, removed the peanut. I waited but he was fine. I waited a month or two then tried a peanut cookie, the same thing happen. His gag was horrible. So I said no more peanut or peanut products until I know for sure. Family members just thought he just didn't like peanuts and was being picky.
My son also is highly allergic to dogs his face gets hives and swells so bad his eyes start to close. Besides this his nose bleeds were getting bad and he started to develop seasonal allergies. So I found an pediatric allergist at CHOP (Children's Hospital of PHiladelphia). This is where I found out for sure about his Peanut Allergy and also Oranges. I now have an EPI Pen.
I am trying to understand his peanut allergy, but I have to admit I am overwhelmed. Also I am surprise to learn everything that contains peanut or around peanuts products. Looking back he won't be plain M&M's, jelly bean or certain resturants French Fries or chicken nuggest.
Thank you for this site. I'm new to this allergy and need all the help I can get. I know some of the posts are older .. has anything changed.
Jennifer Conlon
You've included Pizza Hut as a safe place to eat with peanut allergies. Pizza Hut is NOT safe for a child with a peanut allergy. Their sauce is made in a facility and that is noted on their site.
I want to give kudos to PF Changs in particular. They are amazing in terms of dealing with food allergies and start every meal by asking if anyone has any. What a treat for my peanut allergic 15 year old to eat chinese. He absolutely loves it. Also check out Rita's for ice cream treats. Another rare occurrence, but their menu with italian ice etc caters to lots of folks with allergies and to my knowledge they don't have peanut products on site. It's the only dessert place we go. Susan
Anyone ever been to the Wild Horse Saloon in Tennessee? Trying to find out if it's safe for my peanut allergic son travelling down there. Called and was told it should be, but thought I'd ask around to.
Here's the website to allergan info at Rita's. Some flavors are manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, but the majority aren't.
http://ritasice.com/uploads/documents/Allergen_Chart2.2010.pdf
This website has been a great resource for me. I am 25 and was diagnosed within the last year with peanut/tree nut allergy. You see a lot of resources mainly for children, but not a lot for adults who have recently been diagnosed. It has been a very difficult transition from eating whatever you want to all the sudden having to watch everything. Many people don't seem to understand how you can all the sudden be allergic. I have found they don't take you seriously. I recently called Dominos and their new Lava Crunch Cake is processed in a facility with nuts but it is packaged elsewhere and brought to the local stores. They cook it on screens but it is on foil and their tongs only touch the foil not the actual cake. I am ordering from them tonight so hopefully I will not have any problems.
McDonald's now has Reese's Peanut butter cups in their McFlurry's, so I have written them off as unsafe. So angry to lose one of our "safe" places, but I just won't risk the X-contam.
Beth
My son has sever tree nut allergies and its so hard to find places I trust. We got a slushy at a chain gas station, he wanted green which was mango. I didn't know that mangos are directly related to cashews, it wasn't pleasent but he told immediatly that he needed medicine. Resaurants need to be more clear about allergens. People who don't live with this everyday have no clue how hard and scary it is.
Hello,
PF Chang's (http://www.pfchangs.com). I was there recently and they gave me a menu for Peanut+Tree Nut allergy, and said they had menus for other food allergies as well.
Juls
Hi- I just stumbled across your site. I'm 24 and allergic to peanuts and all tree nuts. I found out that asking about oil in restaurants is tricky. Often, if you ask "Do you use peanut oil here?" if the staff is not well-trained they will just say no and not bother to verify. Instead, I always ask "What type of oil do you fry in?" and since they can't just make up a yes/no answer, I know that they are actually checking with the kitchen staff or management. I NEVER eat anything fried in any type of peanut oil even though supposedly some kinds are safe. You can never be too careful.
I just want to say thank you for all of this information. I just found out that my 6 month old son has a milk, egg, peanut, and dog allergy. I'm a breastfeeding mother so I had to drastically change my diet. This site is a great source for me.
Pizza Hut. I have a PA child who ate there recently. We have eaten there many times before and were told there's no nuts in the main pizzas and salad bar. When I called the manager recently I was told that there are warnings on all the sauces and meats about manufacturing practices and nuts. Check very carefully! It depends on who you talk with!
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