ABSTRACT
Background
The availability and cost of gluten-free (GF) products in grocery stores and online have increased in recent years, but less is known about availability and cost of GF menu items in restaurants, as well as whether methods are being implemented to limit cross-contact (CC) of GF with gluten-containing menu items. The purpose of this study was to assess the reported availability, additional cost and use of methods to limit cross-contact (CC) of GF items in restaurants in Winnipeg, Canada.
Methods
Restaurant staff were asked over the telephone if they served GF items, if there was an additional cost for these items and if they used methods to limit gluten CC. Chi-squared (X
2) tests were used to test for differences in the proportion of restaurants reporting serving GF items, charging extra and using methods to limit CC based on service type, locality, and ethnic cuisine type. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results
Of the 548 restaurants surveyed, 69% reported offering GF items. A higher proportion of full-service restaurants (73%) reported offering GF foods compared to quick-service restaurants (55%). A lower proportion of full-service restaurants that served GF foods reported a surcharge (22%) compared to quick-service restaurants (48%). Similarly, a lower proportion of full-service restaurants that served GF foods reported using methods to limit CC (79%) compared to quick-service restaurants that served GF foods (90%). A higher proportion of chain restaurants reported GF menu options (78%), additional charge for GF foods (41%) and using methods to limit CC (89%) compared to local restaurants (67%, 22%, 78%, respectively). The type of cuisine significantly affected the proportion of restaurants reporting GF item availability, surcharges and whether methods were used to limit CC.
Conclusions
Availability of GF foods, cost and use of procedures to limit gluten CC vary based on type of service, locality, and cuisine served.
Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Volume 39, Issue 2, April 2026. Read More