<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Most responses were hopeful. People eat there all the time, without getting glutened. They do have an online nutrition menu that lists ingredients and allergens. Most places will change gloves and follow your requests.   But there were some responses reflecting contamination issues and concerns, which I think can happen in any restaurant, particularly a less expensive chain that hires kids and has a lot of exposed food.  

Some recommended Chipotle. I have no success there. I have walked out of two of them...one in Daly City, CA (near SF) and one in Marlton, NJ (about 20 minutes east of Philadelphia, PA).  Both had such poor precautions in place...or gave me blank looks when I questioned if they could help.  My CA son won't let me eat in the one near his home.  

I don't have an option.  I'm meeting a group for dinner...converging on the Bala Cynwyd, PA location.  But I'll probably eat before going, and join them for coffee.  My concern was I didn't want to end up splitting a check with a large group and not eating.  These folks don't have gluten issues, and they're not family or close friends.  So paying just to eat with them...just not what I had in mind. And we're all going somewhere else, in the neighborhood...not to eat.  (It's a dance group.)

Thank you, LIn

Here are some actual responses:
1. I've had OK luck with Qdoba.  I do always make a point to speak with the manager to order my food (and if the entire staff looks high school or younger, I've asked the manager to actually prepare my food).  I've never gotten sick.  But Qdobas vary all over the map, in terms of how buttoned up they are.

If you go to the website and click on any of the "Customize Mine/Nutrition" (if you didn't see this on your own) links, you'll see a pull down menu for each food group titled:  "Show Me Ingredients That Are" … and here you can pick "Gluten Free."  I'd think if, before you go, you make a detailed written out list of exactly what you want in your meal and give it to the manager, with the usual explanations about handling, gloves, crumbs, etc. … you'll likely do OK.

Unlike many other places, at least there is not gluten-based flour and gluten bread crumbs flowing everywhere.  In fact, I do not think there is any bread at all there.  The main source of contamination would likely come from the flour tortillas, but those are not typically very crumbly,  Most of the food there already does not contain gluten.

It's not really a sit down restaurant.   You go to the counter, and tell them what you want on your plate, sort of Subway style.  There is typically a lot of talking and distractions going on at the counter (if it's a busy time of day), so I think if you have everything written down exactly, it will really aid the safe prep of your meal.

Good luck!  They could, for sure, pick worse places!  On a good note, I was told by Cynthia Kupper that GIG helped Qdoba develop their GF menu items, so at least you know that part was done with some understanding of what GF is all about.  I've personally never gotten sick at Qdoba, and I've eaten there probably half-a-dozen times -- all different locations.

2. We go to the Qdoba in Cherry Hill almost weekly, and they change their gloves when they see us coming in... :-) Seriously, they are WONDERFULLY gluten-free friendly! They make a naked burrito, which is white or brown rice, with black or pinto beans, and then your choice of meat. I think the only sauce you can't do is the barbeque sauce, and they have always been wonderful about checking ingredients, and even bringing the bag out for ME to check the ingredients. I am very, very sensitive, and we have never had a problem there -- in fact, it's one of our go-to restaurants!

3. When I go to a Mexican restaurant and am mainly worried about how they handle the corn tortillas, I ask them to serve them to me WITHOUT  frying or putting into the microwave.  They get to room temperature quickly and are tasty to eat, then. Hope this helps. Also, it is a good ideas to ask for your own dish of salsa, if others are dipping deep fried corn chips into a community salsa dish!


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