NOTICE: This blog is no longer being updated, so medical information may no longer be accurate.

Triumph Dining Gluten Free Guides and Restaurant Cards: Don’t Leave Home Without ‘Em (and a Giveaway!)

If you are new to the gluten free lifestyle, there is a resource that will quickly become your new indispensable best friend…the gluten free guides from Triumph Dining.

At least that is how I felt when I ordered their first edition back in 2005.  I remember flipping through the pages of the restaurant guide and getting crazy excited over the many restaurants I could still go to in different cities across the country.

I never leave home without it. 😀

 Triumph Dining Gluten Free Restaurant Guide

The scoop:

  • Over 6,500 delicious gluten-free restaurants
  • 100 gluten-free lists from chains like P.F. Chang’s, Panera, and Subway
  • Covers all 50 states in an easy-to-use state-by-state directory
  • The only restaurant database (print or online) where every listing is verified and updated each year
  • 5th edition, includes over 460 pages!

Order your Gluten Free Restaurant Guide here.

Triumph Dining Gluten Free Dining Cards

The scoop:

  • Laminated and portable cards fold neatly into any wallet or purse
  • Order safely in ten languages: English, Chinese, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Spanish (Mexican), Thai, and Vietnamese
  • Tailored to each cuisine. (Japanese card prohibits imitation crab, soy sauce, and tempura; Mexican card prohibits flour tortillas, etc.)
  • Takes the average chef just 1 minute to read and comprehend
  • Helps avoid cross-contamination

Order your Gluten Free Dining Cards here.

Triumph Dining Gluten Free Grocery Guide

The scoop:

  • Find over 30,000 brand-name and store-brand gluten-free products at grocery stores across the U.S.
  • Color-coded system makes meal planning and finding your favorite foods a snap
  • 4th edition, 280 budget-friendly and time-saving pages

Order your Gluten Free Grocery Guide here.

Triumph Dining Gluten Free Grocery Guide app for the iPhone, iTouch and iPad

Get your Gluten Free Grocery Guide App here.

Triumph Dining Gluten Free Sticker Kit

The scoop:

  • Keep shared food environments safe for gluten-free with clear warnings and reminders
  • 72 stickers included — so they’re economical enough to use freely
  • Visible. Stickers are big and brightly colored. They’re hard to miss.
  • Versatile. They can be used on food, packaging, drawers, shelves, and anwhere else you can think of.
  • Durable. They’re backed with tough, durable freezer-grade adhesive.

Get your Gluten Free Stickers here.

WAIT!  Before you order….

 

Triumph Dining has kindly offered up the The Triumph Dining Combo Pack, a $54.95 value for not one, not two, but FIVE Adventures of a Gluten Free Mom readers!!!

Each winner will receive one copy/set of the following:

Gluten Free Restaurant Guide (5th Edition)

Gluten Free Grocery Guide (4th Edition)

Gluten Free Dining Cards


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Comments

  1. My new fav restaurant is The Cheesecake Factory!!

  2. I am dining in restaurants at least once a week. Sometimes more. This past week I went out to eat a good five times. I struggle with cross contamination every time.

  3. I feel somewhat comfortable ordering from the GF menu. I know that there is cross contamination. I typically only go to restaurants that I know are safe from other people’s previous experiences.

  4. I haven’t found a favorite restaurant yet.  I enjoy cooking at home so much that we don’t often eat out.

  5. My favorite place to eat is this local joint in Greensboro NC called Harpers.  You feel “normal” there.

  6. I don’t go out to eat a whole lot, really.  I am afraid of getting sick.

  7. My level of comfort depends on the knowledge of my server.  If they seem well trained, then I stick with them.  If I have my doubts, I speak with a manager.  If I still feel sketchy, I leave.

  8. Judi Silva says

    My favorite restaurant with gf options is 99’s

  9. Judi Silva says

    I feel comfortable simply asking for the GF menu and placing your order with the server.
     

  10. Judi Silva says

    Not as often as I would like to as recently there was cross-contamination issues. 🙁

  11. My favorite gf restaurant is pf changs. If I go into a restaurant I tell the server I have celiac and explain that I can’t eat gluten and can’t eat anything that has come in contact with gluten. I usually ask questions about how they prepare the foods and ask if they can cook mine in a separate clean pan. I still worry a lot about cross contamination so I usually don’t eat out much. I save it for when were on vacations and I have no choice but to eat out.

  12. Kc_nowicki says

    I’d say so far our favorite would have to be PF Changs.

  13. Chelsthornton says

    My son is 2 so we only go to the Spaghetti Factory because they have a GF pasta.  We definitely could use more diversity!

  14. I don’t really have a favorite restaurant. I eat Blue Moon burgers, Village Sushi, Five Fish Bistro… all in Seattle.

  15. Chelsthornton says

    We eat out once a month.  I am not sure how to avoid cross contamination so we just limit eating out.

  16. Chelsthornton says

    I am comfortable asking for the GF menu.  I always call before to know if they have a menu and the waiters at places that have a separate menu are usually sensitive to my questions and requests.

  17. I do worry about cross contamination, and I usually ask for pretty specific things, like no sauce on my burger since they use one spreader, and don’t toast my bun. I try and ask questions so that I know where the risks may be.

  18. Mary Walker says

    I don’t go out to eat very often. There’s not a lot of gluten free choices where I live.

  19. Mary Walker says

    Whenever I’m lucky enough to be at a restaurant that offers a GF menu, I’m usually comforable enough to order from it.

  20. Rubydouble says

    Thank you for the give away. It is going to be very helpful, specially when visiting foreign countries.

  21. Rubydouble says

    Ruby’s Dinner just recently become my go-to places for gluten free hamgers.

  22. Robynschueler says

    New to gluten free. Have not eaten out yet.

  23. Rubydouble says

    I rarely eat out, probably once to twice a month since it is very hard to know if the food is truly gluten free without cross contamination.

  24. Rubydouble says

    I typically only goes to restaurant that has been reference by other Gluten free community members. 

  25. Robynschueler says

    Not comfortable eating out yet. Still just trying to navigate the grocery store.

  26.  I avoid going out to eat as well…I’m always afraid of cross contamination.

  27. Oregon1907 says

    I went GF almost two years ago and haven’t gone to a restaurant since.  It saves a lot of money!  Unfortunately, I’ve gotten cross-contamination at holiday dinners with family who loves me and tries to be careful.  It doesn’t seem worth the risk of leaving my health in a total stranger’s hands when I don’t really have to eat out.

  28. Oregon1907 says

    I don’t have a favorite restaurant, but a friend has enjoyed P.F. Changs.  The last time she was there, they gave her a gluten plate.  Thankfully she noticed before she dug in!  They were very apologetic.

  29. New to gluten free and the only place we have eaten out is at our local grocery store. We do the fruits and veggies from the salad bar and a few slices of gluten free deli meet. Not crazy sensitive to gluten and so far have not notice any problems with cross contamination. 

  30. HA! I answered both questions in one! Like I said, we have not noticed any issues if there has been cross contamination from the salad bar. All of our other favorite places to eat are too intimidating with trying to figure out the gluten (and dairy) free thing. 

  31. There is a test kit one can use to test for gluten!? Totally cool. 

  32. My Celiac son’s new favorite restaurant is Cheeseburger in Paradise!  They have a GF menu, the french fries are GF and made in a dedicated fryer, and he LOVES the GF hamburger bun so much that we bought some to take home.  

  33. I don’t eat out where I live.  We live in a small town with very few choices that aren’t fast food.  

  34. Catherine says

    I like P.F. Chang’s and Outback. I think both restaurants do a great job with GF! 

    For a fast/quick meal, I like Five Guys and Chick-fil-A (especially since they have grilled chicken nuggets now!). I love being able to safely order fries at both. 🙂

  35. The restaurants I’m most comfortable at is P.F. Chang’s and Applebee’s.  I have to drive about an hour to get to the  Applebee’s I trust and about 1 1/2 hours to P.F. Chang’s but I feel I can get a safe meal there.

  36. I always ask the wait staff for a gluten free menu and if they look at me like I have two heads I don’t eat there.  If the wait staff isn’t trained then I’m not sure I’ll trust the kitchen staff.

  37. My husband and son LOVE to eat out and it has been a struggle…my favorite place to eat has been Ruby Tuesdays salad bar or Wendy’s salads (but I am not really a salad type of girl : (   )  IHOP has made shelled egg omelets and substituted hash browns or fruit for the pancakes, and we usually eat there at 5:00 before they are too busy.

  38. I need  to become much more wary of eating out; ordered a side of ham and eggs at McDonalds and the ham came covered with bread crumbs-they had just taken the ham from a biscuit!  That one was obvious, so sooo many other times, its not…I don’t even use the word “gluten” anymore as so many waiters assure me that there is no glue in their food; just say a wheat allergy.

  39. I am new to GF (2 months) and haven’t dined out much.  I don’t have a favorite GF restaurant and have pretty much stayed with salads when dining out.  I am still learning a lot about GF sensitivities.

  40. I am new to GF and do not dine out often.  I do worry about cross-contamination of food and hidden gluten/wheat in food items.  I usually eat a salad.  I didn’t know I could even ask for a GF menu!

  41. I didn’t even know I could ask for a GF menu from restaurants!  I have tried to research restaurants to know what they claim to be GF.  However, I don’t trust that the wait-staff are knowledgeable with regards to GF.  I would love these resources to help guide me through all of this!

  42. Mommasita23 says

    My daughter is 15 and sometimes it’s hard when you are with a group of friends to decide somewhere to eat. This guide would be a great navigation tool for her.

  43. Mommasita23 says

    Favorite restaurant is Ghengis Grill!! They mark everything with stickers that say GF!

  44. Mommasita23 says

    If the restaurant understands what we are dealing with, I feel great. If the server or chef ask if my daughter can have cheese, not so good :).

  45. Mommasita23 says

    We always ask if there is a gluten free menu, if not we talk with the manager. We don’t go beyond that.

  46. PF Chang’s is the best GF Restaurant.  

  47. I never feel comfortable that what I am receiving is totally gluten free.  The plainer the food the better  – less likely to have a something with gluten on it.

  48. While I don’t totally avoid eating out, I do 2nd think where i’m going and am always hesitant of new places.

  49. A couple of months ago I had blood done showing that I need to stay away from GF DF.  When we do go out to eat which hasn’t been much lately, I pack my own lunch and order a salad with no dressing.  Still nervous on how to handle the GF DF in public.   

  50. Cindy Bean says

    My favorite restaurant with gluten free options is Biaggi’s.  Gluten free bread, pasta, entrees, etc.  Fabulous!

  51. PF Chang’s has one of the best gluten-free menus available!

  52. I eat out regularly, but at the same places quite frequently.  I’ve learned where I can trust and where I can’t and don’t worry so much these days UNLESS I’m visiting a new restaurant!  Gotta train ’em you know!

  53. I eat out regularly, and I typically feel quite comfortable ordering off of the gluten-free menu, BUT I always preceed my order with a statement that I truly have a medical issue with gluten and am not doing it because it’s the current food fad.  It seems to work just fine.  And, I’d just assume NOT to involve the manager and make a big ordeal out of things, just trying to be ‘normal’ as possible.

  54. I have two favorite gluten free restaurants with GF menus – PF Chang’s and Mitchell’s Seafood. I’m afraid of restaurants with a bunch of kids doing the cooking so we eat out seldom and go to a higher end. Eating out is more of social event rather than looking for a meal. I’d rather be safe at home for a tasty meal.

  55. Chipotle is my favorite restaurant. Not very expensive, and they only have one gluten containing item on the menu. The flour tortilla.  They are always happy to change their gloves when I ask.  🙂

  56. We now eat out less than we did before, and I am always concerned about cross-contamination.  My accidental glutenings have all been from restaurants. Not all are bad, one just has to be very careful.

  57. Garlic Jim’s Pizza…for the boys.

  58. We order through the waiter, but are very specific that it is a medical condition, not just a preference.  We reiterate the GF urgency throughout the conversation, and then ask again when the food arrives.  The wait staff is usually very helpful and willing to check with the kitchen staff.

  59. Don’t worry too much about cross contamination since my boys are just intolherent not Celiac…We don’t go out very often and if we do, we usually go to the places that we know are friendly.

  60. i usually look over the menu and have no problem asking for a gluten free menu if it is available

  61. Angelainco says

    Mad Greens is my favorite place to eat GF! I also love Hacienda Colorado. Mmmmm.

  62. Angelainco says

    I order from GF menus and don’t look back…unless I have a reaction later… 😉

  63. Angelainco says

    I eat out regularly, but always at the same places. Ive memorized what to order where… It would be nice to have some new choices!

  64. We still are searching for a knowledgable, safe restaurant. Boba sure are a safe drink.

  65. I always find it hard at restaurants.  I do feel vegetarian/vegan themed restaurants are far more knowledgeable…..I hate when people roll their eyes as I try to explain cross contamination..some get down right angry! They say “I have been in the food industry for 25 years, all bologna is gluten free! I know, my niece eats it!”   oooooooook then…..

  66. HayLee's HomeMade says

    I like eating at five guys!  I also have a restaurant guide (I think its called Celia’s Place)

  67. Ask for the menu or have the sever check with the cooks. If they are not confident we leave.

  68. Outback is so YUMMY! Definitely my favorite!

  69. HayLee's HomeMade says

    I usually just tell the manager I am gluten and casein free (no wheat/no dairy)..sometimes I ask to see the ingredients label.  I always worry about cross contamination.

  70. We dine out a lot less since going GF–no more spontaneous drive thru stops! But when we do go out, I try not to worry. Fortunately, we don’t have any serious illness involved, so I know one instance of contamination isn’t going to kill anyone or make anyone really sick in my family. 

  71. I try to trust the menu as much as possible–I refuse to make myself crazy! But, again, not everyone has that luxury!

  72. My overall favorite GF restaurant is Chipotle, hands down.  But I also like PF Changs.  Neither of these restaurants have locations where I live, so like many others here, most of the time I eat at home.

    • Almost forgot…. while we were on vacation last summer, the Triumph restaurant guide helped us find locations of Legal Sea Foods on the east coast.  It’s 8 months later and my son is *still* raving about the GF meal we there.  There’s a separate GF section in the menu, and the server acted like it was completely normal to order off the GF menu.  It was outstanding.  But I’ll need a $1,000 plane ticket to eat there again.

  73. Saraguts84 says

    I would love to win this! We eat out all the time and this would be a big help 🙂

  74. Karen Rose says

    We really don’t go out to eat very often at all, but we did happen to go to Applebee’s and I was happily surprised that they had a binder put together of all the top 5 allery items showing what you could eat on their menu!  It helped put my mind at ease, that is for sure!!!  (My son is the one who can not have gluten, eggs, etc…)

  75. We don’t go out very much because of that fear, cross contamination.

  76. Karen Rose says

    We ask our wait staff and if they seem clueless, we ask for the manager.

  77. I love the Big Bowl in the Chicagoland area.  They have a GF menu and the Pad Thai is really great.

  78. Rooster – in downtown St. Louis – has gluten free crepes that are awesome

  79. I have been pleasantly surprised with GF entree meals when eating out; however, kids meal are rather lacking. Your site has been such a great help, though!

  80. Kimledford65 says

    Favorire GF place to eat….PF CHangs…we don’t have many options where I live…:(

  81. kim ledford says

    I worry if they serve any Non GF foods, the wait staff just isnt’ trained enough!

  82. kim ledford says

    Favorite GF place is PF Changs

  83. kim ledford says

    I have learned I need to ask for the manager so he can oversee that it is done correctly!

  84. Favourite GF restaurant: the one w/an exclusively GF tool/prep area.  For a specific name of restaurant(s) it would be Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Jason’s Deli.

    Before eating at any restaurant I prepare myself for what I refer to as ‘the interogation process’. LOL  I ask to talk to manager, explain that we have multiple food allergies and ask if he/she can talk with us, then I prepare them by laughing saying “I apologize if this feels like an interogation of questions, but our health depends on it so if you would please bear with me.” or something like this, along with a huge amount of THANK YOU and appeciation.  This is all time consuming and hit or miss as to if you get a receptive manager and rest. staff willing to work with you or not SO the Triumph Dining Restaurant Guide and Restaurant Dining Cards look like such a HUGE help!

    Thank you for offering this!  And thank you to Triumph Dining for making these available!!!!!

    I have a three day weekend event coming up that I’ve not been looking forward to as it is a GF minefield.  These guides and cards would be such a huge help!  Takes the stress level over eating out down many notches for anyone facing GF meals away from the safety of your GF home.

  85. Libbykranz says

    My fav restaurant is Red Robin!!!

  86. Libbykranz says

    Never done the testing…though I might. We only go to restaurants with dedicated food areas. Its my 4yr old that has celiacs and she can’t tell me.

  87. Lisa Sheppard67 says

    I love the Treehouse Cafe in Santa Fe, NM!

  88. Lsheppard67 says

    I don’t eat out often because I am so nervous.  Usually the places I eat are the ones I go to over and over and feel safe.  Going out of town is a nightmare!

  89. Lsheppard67 says

    Most of the places I eat are either completely gf or I know the items to order safely.  When I am somewhere new I ask for the manager before ordering, though I am still a bit shy about going into details.  I usually settle for what seems safest anyway.

  90. My favorite gf restaurant is pf changs! I thought I would never have chinese food again. Their food is awesome.

  91. Ieat out often and I do worry about cross contamination especially since I don’t have the typical celiac reactions.

  92. I always ask for a gluten free menu and always make the waiter/waitress check with the chef before ordering .

  93. I have never had a problem eating at Longhorn Steakhouse.

  94. I am too scared to eat out. I am so afraid of getting sick from cross contamination. Although there is this place Rafferty’s Restaurant and Pub that is totally gluten free that I would like to try.

  95. Jasons Deli is very easy to get GF foods!! Love them!!

  96. What a great resource to have!

  97. jessieNjo says

    My favorite place with a gluten free menu is Twigs Bistro and martini bar, delicious food with a lot of options.

  98. jessieNjo says

    We don’t eat out too often, maybe a couple times a month because I do worry.  Especially when I call a restaurant we are having dinner at and the host when asked if they have any gluten free options says “well can you have pasta or we have a lot of burgers and sandwiches” Luckily when we got there I didn’t have to starve the waitress knew what I was saying and they did have quite a few options.  But the lack of knowledge does scare me.

  99. jessieNjo says

    I do try to make it very clear to my server that everything needs to be gluten free, however I don’t check the kitchen.   I haven’t been diagnosed with celiacs, my allergist felt that I do have either a gluten intolerance or celiacs but didn’t go for the biopsy because I was already gluten free. Before I saw an allergist I was asked at PF Changs when ordering off the gluten free menu if it was preference or allergy, not knowing I said preferance and boy was that a bad idea! I will never do that again, miserable!

  100. Biaggi’s Italiano has a great GF menu.  

  101. Kristina lewin says

    If anyone’s in Portland, OR, I just visited Deschutes Brewery and they were great! My GF and DF meal was awesome!!

  102. My favorite restaurant with gluten free options is Market Fresh Bistro in Makawao, Hawaii. The chef and staff are knowledgable. They’ve never made me sick, the food is delicious, and the prices are quite reasonable at breakfast and lunch. 

  103. I find myself in a restaurant situation at least twice a month. I find that cross contamination is higher in lower cost restaurants, and that the staff in these establishments are less knowledgable. I find it difficult to dine out quickly when I am running errands, so I have to carry something with me. I’ve used a dining card a couple of times, but the wait staff usually look confused when I try to use them. I worry about the kitchen staff being able to understand what the cards say, and as a former culinary school student I know that even the best chefs don’t always know all of the ingredients in the food they’re serving. 

  104. If there is a gluten free menu, and the restaurant has a gluten free certification, then I’ll usually just go ahead with the menu. However, I generally ask to be sure if the item brought to me is the gluten free version. I’m not perfect, and so I have had times when not asking again has led me into a danger zone.

  105. Sarahpflanagan says

    P.F. Changs!  I love their new gluten free menu!

  106. Blossoming Lotus is my most favorite GF spot in Portland Or!

  107. Crab Louis in VA is my favorite

  108. We don’t eat out very often and yes, i am very worried about cross contamination

  109. I just order the gluten free meal.  I would like to inspect the kitchen, bowls etc. tho!  🙂

  110. I don’t go out a ton – but there is a little spanish restaurant here in my city that specializes in GF food. When we go out, we go there!

  111. Shawn Schowengerdt says

    PF Changs is where I feel the most comfortable to eat. They really seem to know all about it there and makes feel like a regular customer without ‘special’ needs.

  112. Shawn Schowengerdt says

    Don’t go out to eat nearly as much as I used to. The fast food trips are basically non-existent, which probably isn’t a bad thing.

  113. Shawn Schowengerdt says

    I had been feeling quite confident ordering off a gluten free menu, but a few weeks ago I was at a restaurant chain with a GF menu that the waitress didn’t know about. I ordered and was sick the next few days. It ‘looked’ okay but who knows…

  114. This would be great because I find myself ALWAYS questioning what things are made with!!  I could totally use this book!  🙂

  115. Jen McAlister says

    My family loves to eat out, or get fast food because it is convenient. After I first found out about my Celiac, I would indulge with them. I would regret it for the next few days because I would hurt so bad, and now that I’ve been gluten free for a while, the pains seem worse. I’m afraid to eat out, especially if they are chain restaurants that do not specifically offer gluten free items. I still check every food label I buy at the store, even of it claims to be gluten free. It takes a whole lot of time to do that, but in the end, I won’t be hurting for days. I am learning to cook more things, learning that I like trying new things. Being a Celiac has opened me up to so many more food opportunities. Yes, it’s hard. But it’s do-able!