Hello, Jennifer,

As an adult with a very sensitive, severe dairy allergy, I'll suggest that
fast food in general is a roll of the dice. I do check the website
information, box labels, and managers when there's no other option, but a
good general guideline is to realize that if the kitchen has many dairy
products in it and is staffed largely by 15-17-year-olds who haven't really
been trained to avoid cross-contamination, it's not going to be dependably
safe. Carrying food with you and picnicking in the park is a safer (and
healthier) option for busy errand days than is fast food.

If you really need to do fast food, though, there are some things that can
help. Ask to see the ingredient lists yourself--I've had people bring me
giant empty boxes out of the kitchen, and that's fine--but it's better than
trusting the corporate website. Ingredients may change faster than the
website is updated, or the restaurant may run out of something and
temporarily replace it with a local purchase, etc. So, always check the
ingredients yourself if possible. Second best is to accept a check by
someone who seems competent. If the person doesn't seem competent, don't
risk it. 

Next bit of advice: nothing fried. There's no safe oil in a fast food place
unless absolutely nothing on the menu contains any dairy.

Next: talk with the kitchen staff in detail before ordering anything off the
grill. Grilled food can be your best bet--but not if there was a sloppy
cheeseburger on there right before your order. Usually, a manager will offer
to clean the grill (or part of it) and cook there himself. 

If you have to do something fast-food-like, Subway can be OK. The ideal is
to get toppings from the kitchen that haven't been put out yet. If you can't
do that, and your daughter's allergy isn't as sensitive as mine, then ask
the person preparing your food to put on clean gloves, and select toppings
from the back row (the one closest to you)--bits of food fall into the ones
nearer the front, so you want the bins where nothing is carried over them.
Even then you have to be very careful; before you came, someone probably
handled cheese, then reached into the pickle container. (I said Subway
specifically, btw, because their meat comes pre-cut. Don't opt for Quizno's,
where they cut their own deli meat on the same slicers as they use for
cheese.)

Another "may be OK" option is Chinese, especially if there aren't any cream
cheese wontons on the menu. You still have to talk with people, so get over
any shyness or inhibition now, but I've found that Chinese fast food is
usually easier than many other places.

A better bet: when you go out to eat, pick restaurants with more
professional kitchen staff than fast food places have. Since your kids are
young, I'd keep my eye open for the "kids eat free with adult meal purchase"
specials so many signs offer. Avoid Italian and pizza places, and be extra
wary of French, but most other "big box" restaurants have someone who can
handle a food allergy competently. (Note: Ordering pizza without the cheese
isn't good enough. The cheeseless pizza will still run through the oven on
the same conveyor belt as all the others. No pizza unless you make it at
home.)

Surprising option: local, family-run diners scared me for a while, until a
few times when I had no other option and tried them. The people who choose
to open restaurants like this care a lot about food and food handling, and
are sometimes even excited to learn new information if they don't already
have it. I've even had someone invite me back into his kitchen briefly so I
could tell him how to prepare my meal safely. You have to be knowledgeable
yourself and willing to educate someone else, but with that done, I've
actually had really good luck with local diners. And, if you eat out often,
they're likely to remember you, which will ease the process next time.

For family vacation time, consider Disney World. Their on-site restaurants
are hands-down the absolute best at handling allergies that I've ever
encountered anywhere.

I hope this helps. I could write more, but already went over the limit once
this week! :)

Weavre Cooper