The Top 10 Gluten-Free Breakfast Options Available at Fast Food Chains

Breakfast is often referred to as the most important meal of the day. But in a world filled with pancakes, waffles, biscuits, bagels, and breakfast sandwiches, it can be difficult for those eating gluten-free to eat off the breakfast menu at many restaurants, especially when it comes to fast food. Thankfully, as the interest in gluten-free eating grows, more fast food chains are starting to offer more options without the need for endless substitutions. 

As someone who chooses to not eat gluten for health reasons, I’ve become very familiar with which fast food restaurants have the best gluten-free breakfasts and compiled a list of them for you. From smaller, lighter dishes to more hearty comfort food items, you are likely able to find something that will both fill you up and aligns with your dietary preferences from any one of these fast food chains. Just remember, though, that even if an item doesn’t contain gluten, it still might not be safe for those with Celiac disease, as cross-contamination may be possible.

Chick-fil-A would probably be one of the last fast food chains you’d expect to have a good gluten-free breakfast item, as its chicken sandwiches are its bread and butter. But I would go so far to say that Chick-fil-A actually offers one of the best gluten-free fast food breakfasts you can get.

Chick-fil-A’s hash brown scramble bowl is as straightforward as it sounds: a bowl full of crispy hash browns, scrambled eggs, cheese, and your choice of bacon, sausage, or grilled chicken. Just be sure to steer clear of the breaded nuggets and spicy chicken, as they contain gluten.

What I love most about this bowl is that it’s filling without being too heavy. And since Chick-fil-A has locations scattered throughout the U.S., your chances of getting stuck without a breakfast are slim – that is, as long as you aren’t looking for something quick on a Sunday!

For a long time, Starbucks’ only breakfast choices were bagels, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches. Although they’re delicious, they’re not conducive to a gluten-free diet. Starbucks responded to this need for more gluten-free options by adding something a little heartier to the menu.

Starbucks’ egg bites were first introduced in early 2017 and have quickly become one of its most popular food items. Served as a pack of two, the egg bites come in a few varieties, such as egg white and roasted red pepper and the original bacon and Gruyère cheese. Starbucks also usually offers one or two other varieties available in addition to these two long-time staples, but those can vary throughout the year. Starbucks’ egg bites are a low-carb, protein-packed option that’s easy to eat on the go with minimal mess. Plus, being able to get your coffee and breakfast in one stop is a win-win.

A Texas-original chain, Whataburger, has now expanded to 16 additional states, making it even easier to get your burger fix. And with an expansive breakfast menu that also includes not one, but two gluten-free options, you’ll be able to enjoy a yummy breakfast on-the-go. 

The Whataburger breakfast bowl contains all of the best traditional breakfast foods in a single bowl for easy eating, including scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, cheese, and French toast sticks (which are surprisingly gluten-free). While the breakfast bowl technically comes topped with a biscuit and gravy, it can easily be left off to make this dish gluten-free. 

The unique thing about Whataburger is that most locations are open 24 hours a day and serve breakfast from 11:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m., so you can satisfy both your late-night and early-morning breakfast cravings.

Whataburger is one of the few chains on this list that offers multiple gluten-free breakfast options. If you don’t like your breakfast items mixed together — like in the breakfast bowl — then the breakfast platter might be more up your alley. It feature the same items, so you can enjoy a satisfying meal of bacon and scrambled eggs without them touching one another. It’s even served in a nice platter-style takeaway container so it’s easier to eat.

However, similar to the breakfast bowl, you’ll still have to ask for no biscuit. That way, you aren’t wasting it and won’t run the risk of cross-contamination. You may also be able to ask if you can substitute hash browns in the place of it. 

If you find yourself at a Jamba for breakfast and want something more substantial than a smoothie, the spring veggie egg bake is the perfect choice. It’s similar to Starbucks’ egg bites and is made with egg, Montamore cheese, artichokes, and red bell peppers. One notable difference however, is that Jamba’s egg bake is slightly larger than a typical egg bite and comes in a single serving rather than two egg bites. Jamba also only has this single flavor, so it’s great if you’re a vegetarian, but you’ll come up empty-handed if you prefer something with meat. 

You can also pair this with a bunch of Jamba’s customizable smoothies and smoothie bowls if one egg bake still isn’t quite enough. Overall, Jamba is a pretty good option for those who are gluten-free, as its fruit-based smoothies and bowls don’t tend to contain gluten (although you should always inquire about any special additions).

Waffle House, which has locations throughout the South and parts of the Midwest, serves a range of classic Southern breakfast dishes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have gluten-free waffles (at least not yet) but it does have something just as filling: its ham, sausage, or bacon egg, and cheese hash brown bowl. It comes with two scrambled eggs, two slices of cheese, and your choice of meat over crispy hash browns. It might not satisfy your Southern food craving, but it’s still a delicious meal that’s easy to eat on the road. 

The nice thing about Waffle House is that there are several gluten-free options to choose from. Although the hash brown bowl is likely the easiest grab-and-go option, you can enjoy heartier dishes like its egg breakfasts, which come with country ham, steak, or pork chops. They’re all gluten-free as long as you skip the toast served on the side. 

If hash browns and tater tots had a baby, it would be Taco John’s Potato Olés. These small, round, crunchy potatoes are similar in texture to crispy hash browns but are closer in size to a tater tot. While you can snack on these zesty bites, Taco John’s had a better idea: to turn them into a breakfast dish. The Potato Olés make the perfect base for the Potato Olés scrambler.

This spiced-up take on a breakfast bowl piles the tots with scrambled eggs, a four-cheese blend, nacho cheese, bacon or sausage, and fresh pico de gallo. Essentially, this is a deconstructed version of the breakfast burritos that make up the rest of the menu — just without the flour tortilla. Although it’s not as easy to eat while driving as a burrito, the Potato Olés Scrambler is still an amazing grab-and-go option if you want to kick off your morning with a little spice. Just note that only the bacon and sausage versions of this bowl are gluten-free; the steak one is not. 

Torchy’s Tacos started as a single food truck in Austin and has now expanded to over 100 locations across 16 states. Its menu features a wide variety of traditional and inventive tacos, including its breakfast options.

Thankfully, tacos are already one of the easiest foods to make gluten-free, as corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free and are already common bases for tacos. At Torchy’s, you can take your pick between three of the most popular breakfast tacos — migas, The Wrangler, or Ranch Hand — or choose from more straightforward options like bacon, egg, and cheese; crispy potatoes, egg, and cheese; or the chorizo, egg and cheese. Or if you are feeling really bold, you can even customize your own tacos.

Torchy’s also stands out from a lot of other fast food chains due to the fact that it has an entire gluten-conscious menu, so you don’t have to play detective to determine what you can and can’t have. Though, the chain does disclose that the gluten-free options are prepared in the same kitchen as its gluten-containing food, so it may not be suitable for some eaters. 

Having to make substitutions or leave this off your plate to make a dish gluten-free isn’t always ideal. But, it’s worth it in some cases, as it will still allow you to get a lot out of the meal. Take Jack in the Box, for example. 

Its classic French toast sticks platter with bacon and sausage is a fast food breakfast gem. You will have to leave out the French toast, but the other items — including the hash browns, eggs, and your choice of bacon or sausage — are all gluten-free. A lot of other chains (I’m looking at you McDonald’s!) use gluten in their hash browns, so consider this one a win.

Plus, Jack in the Box serves breakfast all-day at its many locations across 22 states, so there’s a good chance you’ll be able to satisfy your breakfast craving no matter when it hits.

For such a popular coffee chain, Dunkin’ doesn’t have a lot of gluten-free options. It used to have its own version of egg bites, known as omelet bites, which came in similar varieties as Starbucks’, like bacon and cheese and veggie. Unfortunately, they aren’t on the menu anymore — at least at the time of writing. Thankfully, Dunkin’ does still have a couple other options to get you through your morning without forcing you to rely solely on caffeine.

Dunkin’s Snackin’ Bacon and hash browns  hit the spot every time and give you a good combo of both carbs and protein — all without the gluten. And similar to Starbucks, you can get these breakfast items at any time as long as they’re not sold out. I’m just counting down the days and crossing my fingers for when Dunkin’ comes out with some gluten-free donut options!

I considered three primary factors when choosing the best gluten-free fast food breakfasts: availability, the number of substitutions required to make it gluten-free, and how filling each item is. Fast food is meant to be eaten on the go, and there’s nothing easier than a breakfast sandwich on a gluten-containing biscuit, bagel, or croissant. Unfortunately, many restaurants don’t offer gluten-free versions of these quite yet. So, I put items on this list that could easily be made gluten-free — like by leaving off a side — rather than those that would force someone to go down a substitution rabbit hole. 

I also wanted to include breakfast items that are filling.  Sure, you can find something small, like hash browns or a granola bar, depending on where you go, but I was able to find some options that were filling and could help ensure that you stay satiated until lunchtime.