I’ve been working at a Gluten Free Café for about a year and a half and I have to say I absolutely love it. Sure, the job doesn’t go without the usual anxieties that come when working in the restaurant business, but for the most part it is a fun and fulfilling job. I would also like to disclaim that I am not gluten sensitive, nor do I have celiac disease. When I applied for the job I didn’t really know anything about the gluten free diet, but all employees were required to watch a video that explains what gluten is and what it does to people who can’t have it and what foods it is normally found in.
If you’re from a small town like myself you may not know much about gluten free diet and the unspoken (and spoken) rules of proper gluten free restaurant etiquette. Luckily you have me to tell you about the things you should know and/or think about before you go to the local GF restaurant.
1. Do not bring in outside food or drink.
This is extremely important and the restaurant will probably have a sign in the front saying this. Some people with celiac disease are so sensitive to gluten that if you set your glutinous food on a table and a gluten-sensitive person touches that table a few minutes later they can get sick. Respect the employees if they ask you to wait outside with your outside food or drink, it’s for a reason.
2. Gluten Free food is going to be more expensive than regular food.
I can’t tell you how many complaints I get about how expensive some of our food is. What you should know is that in order to get gluten free food and make it we need to buy expensive product and more ingredients (like rice flower and coconut oil). The food, especially pastries and breads, are more difficult to make, so the price is going to be a bit higher than normal.
3. Gluten Free does not mean vegan.
This is a big one. Where I work we try our hardest to accommodate to all sorts of dietary restrictions. It is common for someone with celiac disease to also become lactose intolerant, so many of our products are also dairy free. However, we still have eggs in most of our products. We get a lot of vegans coming in asking if we have vegan food and sometimes it works out, but often times they leave disappointed.
4. Expect the food to be different than normal food.
Because gluten is basically the “glue” in breads and cupcakes that make them fluffy and light, gluten free food is going to be denser, less airy. Bread isn’t going to be as soft either, so if you order a sandwich or panini expect the texture to be different. Cookies are also going to have a different texture.
5. Gluten Free food isn’t necessarily healthier
This seems to be a bit of a common misconception. The only things that are different about gluten free food is that the flours used aren’t from wheat or barley, which have gluten. Often times you’ll find rice flour or almond flour. Because there are different ingredients, often times the sugar content is increased and cookies may have more oil or butter. In short, there are some ways in which gluten free food is healthier, but if you come into my café and order a cupcake everyday it isn’t necessarily healthy eating (we do have a beautiful salad bar though).
There are probably a few other things I missed here, but this is a general list of things to keep in mind. I am not an expert on gluten free eating and cooking, so if I got something wrong (like how the ingredients are different) I sincerely apologize. If you find that you are newly discovered to be gluten sensitive, going into the nearest gluten free restaurant is probably a good idea. There is a good chance the owner or some of the employees are gluten free as well. Where I work we actually sell books that explain gluten sensitivity and gluten free food. We also have informational pamphlets on celiac disease. Now that you are well-versed in the gluten free restaurant etiquette, go and support your local gluten free restaurant and eat a cupcake!
