C​hick-fil-A allergen link: https://www.chick-fil-a.com/nutrition-allergens

I​ don’t eat Chick-fil-A very often because it is at least 30 minutes away from where I live and I don’t have that kind of time to drive that way often, so when I eat it, I am really happy to eat there. Chick-fil-A does have an allergen menu on their website and is very accessible to anyone who needs it. There are only two types of items I can eat their, grilled chicken (nuggets and sandwich) and waffle fries.

G​rilled Chicken Nuggets

F​ood rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: It is the best type of Chicken. It is always hot and is filled with juiciness and seasoning that isn’t spicy. I don’t like spicy food so I tend to stay away from spicy food when possible. With my dairy allergy sometimes the only option is spicy food, so I just got to tough it out. Luckily I don’t have to tough my way to eat this food, I order it over and over again.

A​llergy rating: 4 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: Anyone can eat this with the exception of vegans because vegans don’t eat meat. I don’t see any allergy problems anywhere in sight.

G​rilled Chicken Sandwich

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: If they got rid of grilled nuggets I wouldn’t mind switching to the sandwich (hopefully the sandwich won’t go as well). I like the bun and the chicken is the same as the grilled nuggets, it is a bigger piece of chicken instead of bite-sized nuggets, but I still enjoyed the sandwich and I would highly recommend you eat it.

A​llergy rating: 4 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: The only difference is that Gluten-free people could order with the bun, then you might as well get the nuggets if you were going to go in that direction. You get more of them and the chances of gluten cross-contiminating with your food is less likely with the nuggets since nuggets don’t require buns.

W​affle Fries

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I love these waffle fries and they are one of the reasons I love going to Chick-fil-A. They’re made fresh like their chicken and are always hot and delicious whenever they come out of the fryer. They also have the right amount of salt as well. I have no complaints about Chick fil-A’s waffle fries.

A​llergy rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: Waffle Fries are pretty good for those with food allergies. Chick-fil-A uses Canola Oil for their fries.

Allergy Rating of Restaurant: 2 out of 5 stars

T​hey use Peanut oil in a lot of things and it is found on Chick-fil-A’s website that they like to use peanut oil in their fried chicken, if you have a peanut allergy just make sure you’re safe to eat peanut oil. From personal experience I am allergic to peanuts and have had peanut oil fries just fine, it just depends on how severe your peanut allergy is. I also wanted to add that Chick-fil-A doesn’t have many options that are dairy-free. But with those limited options they deliver with high quality food. With the many allergy concerns I rate this a 2 out of 5. Though the food is good and would still highly recommend eating here because there is still something for everyone even though it doesn’t have many options compared to other restaurants.

B​uffalo Wild Wings Allergen link: https://assets.ctfassets.net/l5fkpck1mwg3/6JVe1HKMmOQ6HsXnx4THnh/e3b36d77ddc79c83c26bfaf4f7b64d02/2023_05_US_Allergen_Guide.pdf

T​his is one of my all-time favorite restaurants and I have always been able to eat safely with food allergies. The food is always hot and is always worth the wait. I have eaten at this restaurant for a very long time, there are some items that aren’t currently on the menu that I wish they had like bratwaurst and the buffalo chips. They were like a potato chip, potato skin combined, and I always got that to go along with my meal. RIP the Buffalo Chips. Buffalo Wild Wings has an allergen menu on their website that is easily accessible.

B​oneless/Traditional Wings

F​ood rating: 4 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I really enjoy these wings! I really like the breading of the wings and the crunch it provides to me. The meat is pretty juicy when Bdubs cooks it right, that is the only concern I have, but when they cook it right, It is really good.

A​llergy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: Vegans and Gluten-free people should stay away from this, but everyone else who isn’t, it is a highly recommended item to eat at BDubs.

T​ater Tots/ French Fries

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I really enjoy their crispiness and I have never had a bad tater tot experience there. It is a no-brainer to add these to my meal. I don’t get the fries as much but I can say similar things to it, though I prefer the Tots, but the fries aren’t a bad option either. You really can’t lose with these two side dishes.

A​llergy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: Anyone can enjoy this side dish! Of course if you’re allergic to potatoes, but I have never met anyone who is allergic to potatoes, but if you are please let me know, links to contact me are below.

Burgers

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I really enjoy the brisket burger, add bacon, burger patties, and the bun. It is one of the best burgers you can get. I really liked when they had the burger and 6 boneless wings for $1 deal. That was pretty good. Pair that with the Tater Tots and you have yourself a really good meal.

A​llergy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars: Vegans should stay away from this and instead order the cauliflower wings. I know people who don’t eat meat and said they really enjoyed the Cauliflower wings, so I would give those a try if you are vegan. Gluten-Free people can order the burger without the bun so it should be fine.

A​llergy Review of Restauraunt: 5 out of 5 Stars

E​verytime I go there they take care of their customers with allergies and it is honestly on of my favorite restauraunts of all time because of it. The waiters/waitresses always make sure to note that I am extremely allergic to dairy. I always feel safe eating their, so I highly recommend eating there. I think not having to scroll on Google to find an allergy is a plus. It is a plus they have an allergen menu online so customers with food allergies can make decisions on what to eat and know the restaurant cares for them are their well-being. I highly recommend you try Buffalo Wild Wings if you haven’t already.

C​hipotle Allergen Menu link: https://www.chipotle.com/allergens

C​hipotle has been a go-to mexican fast-food restaurant for me a long time. It is healthier than a lot of fast food restaurant plus I have one five minutes away from my house so it is close in proximity. You do have to be careful of cross-contimination, but as long as you tell them you have a certain allergy you will be fine, plus the food is really good as well.

W​hat do I get a Chipotle?

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Rationale: I​ normally get the steak on hard shell tacos. I love the steak, it does have a kick, but it is always hot and not dry when I eat it. I have also gotten a burrito bowl at Chipotle as well and a burrito bowl is meats and toppings that you would put on a taco. It’s always a good meal when I get either one of these meals. I have tried the pork carnitas and beef barbacoa. I can tell the meat is always fresh and I really don’t have complaints about the quality of food, it is so good that you will probably have to wait in a long line for it, but it is defenitely worth your wait.

Allergy Rating of Restaurant: 4 out of 5 stars

Rationale: T​hey have got plenty of nutrious options at Chipotle for people with allergies. Vegans can get find vegetarian burritos that don’t have meat, plus you can get it with no cheese and it is very custimizable for any allergy you have. For me I am severely allergic to dairy so I order all my food without cheese or sour cream. Some locations do better with allergies than other locations (I have been to multiple Chipotles before). Just ask them to change their gloves and wash their hands and make sure they don’t cross contiminate utensials. I really highly recommend eating a Chipotle and I have had really good eating experiences here.

B​ibibop allergen link (scroll down to page 4 for Allergen info): https://bibibop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BIBIBOP-Nutrition-Updated-December-2021.pdf

B​ibibop in case if you didn’t know is like an Asian Chipotle or Subway. You create any combination you so desire. I had this once for a trip while I was in college. I had no allergic reactions when I ate it and I really enjoyed my food. I got a steak, white rice, potatoes, corn, and carrots inside a bowl. I honestly can’t remember what sauce I got, but I remember the meal being fresh and hot. Honestly it was so good! I would highly recommend it for anyone who has food allergies, especially dairy allergies like me. There aren’t many things that have dairy in it, so the majority of the menu is open to eat, which is really nice because a lot of restaurants aren’t like that. The good news for vegans is that they have tofu and they have cauliflower rice for people who want that as well.

B​ibibop Allergy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: They are willing to alter their menu for people with allergies and other special diets. They have plenty of options for people with gluten free sensitivities. Everything in the entire restaurant is gluten-free so they have an open menu. You don’t see that happen very often at all and that is why I give Bibibop 5 stars for how they approach customers with food allergies. They haven’t updated anything since December of 2021, so I assume they haven’t altered or changed the menu in any way.

B​ibibop Food Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I had my meal inside of Easton Mall (Near Columbus, OH) and I thought the service was good and my food had lots of flavor in it. I really enjoyed my meal over there. I really want to go back, but I don’t have a Bibibop in my hometown, so I don’t go there, but I would definitely go again if I could.

B​D’s Mongolian Grill Allergen Menu: https://assets.website-files.com/6286a5e25e74245e3c5d4eff/636abe642afef899e17b982f_bds-Nutritional-Information_0218.pdf

B​D’s Mongolian Grill is a place I don’t eat often, but when I do I really enjoy it. There are plenty of Bd’s Mongolians near me, but there is not one in my hometown of Marysville, Ohio. They are some in Dublin, OH, and there is one in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Plus many more around the Central Ohio area. Plus there are locations in Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois, and Missouri according to the official BD’s Mongolian Grill Website. If you have never heard of the restaurant, you customize your bowls in a buffet style and you choose your toppings and they make it for you in a wok or a separate wok for severe allergies (hint this is why I love this place so much) that you walk, and hand it over to the cook and you’ll be fine. You can order appetizers and it comes with a couple of bowls of free rice if you sit-in and eat. I have only sat in and ate, I never ordered BD’s Mongolian Grill to go.

B​D’s Mongolian Bowls

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Rationale: I love the Red skin potatoes and the crab meat. I’ll either get soy sauce or no sauce at all. I have also had steak and chicken. I love it and it is always fresh and hot when I get it. Personally I enjoy all aspects of this meal, plus they give you rice for free, add some rice with it, and you got yourselves a winner.

A​llergy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: You can customize your bowl into your allergy and there are plenty of options for everyone.

R​ice

F​ood Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: It might be a little crunchy, but I have had worse rices before, and I wouldn’t complain about BD’s Mongolians Grill’s rice. I would still add it with your bowls.

A​llergy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: The rice has no present allergens! If you are allergic to rice please let me know because I have never personally met anyone with a rice allergy.

Egg Rolls

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: It is always hot and I really enjoy eating these delicacies. It has got really good flavor and it is the best egg roll I have ever eaten.

A​llergy Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: If you are allergic to soy, eggs, gluten, and vegans (they are pork egg rolls according to their menu). I will add that I am only allergic to Eggs when it isn’t baked into something. For example cakes I can do, but regular scramble eggs I can’t do. It is a strange allergy, but I have eaten the egg rolls just fine and have had no problem with eating them.

P​otstickers

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: These are the best potstickers I have ever had. They are fresh and hot. It is perfect and I have zero complaints about these delicacies.

A​llergy Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: They’re chicken potstickers so that automatically eliminates people who are vegans. They also contain Gluten (wheat) and soy.

A​llergy Rating of the Whole Restaurant: 5 out of 5 Stars

R​ationale: They take allergies seriously! Everytime I have eaten there I just told them my allergy and I just communicated my allergy to the cook and the waiter/waitress. They have an easy to read allergen menu and they go above and beyond to make sure you are taken care for. I really highly recommend eating at this place.

B​laze Pizza Allergen Menu: https://www.blazepizza.com/allergen-info

B​laze Pizza is basically like a pizza Subway where you can choose your own toppings and crust and you can build your pizza anyway you want. I have had Blaze Pizza a couple of times and I have personally enjoyed eating Blaze Pizza everytime.

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: It has been a hot minute since I haven’t eaten Blaze because it is a good distance from my house. The crust was too spicy, other than that I have no complaints. The pizza was hot and fresh and I really did enjoyed the pizza. The good news about it being spicy is that it forced me to drink more water and to that I will not complain about that.

A​llergy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: They have got lots of options here including vegan cheese. They have gluten-free crusts and dairy-free chicken meatballs. Most meatballs have dairy in it, the only meatballs that don’t really have dairy is at IKEA (yes, IKEA has a restaurant inside their store). Of course you can make your own as well. Luckily you can enjoy it on your pizza at Blaze, which when I do go again I’m going to add them to my menu (hoping they don’t change their recipe). Plus they have a dairy-free dessert, cinna Knots. That another plus for Blaze. I have never had an allergic reaction eating at Blaze. Just ask them to change their gloves and use separate utensials to be safe, though you should be fine, and I would highly recommend eating here.

B​urger King Allergen Link: https://origin.bk.com/pdfs/allergens.pdf

I​ can say I have eaten at Burger King since I was a kid and I will say there have been some items that I have enjoyed but are no longer there. Like the hot dogs and the mini BK shooters (mini hamburgers), and the dutch apple pie. I really enjoyed those items. I will say without a shadow of a doubt Burger King has my favorite breakfast of all-time. The sausage and bacon is good plus the hashbrowns and french toast sticks are amazing too. Also, Burger King hasn’t updated their allergen menu since 2017, so it would be wise to check with an employee before you eat your meal.

F​rench Toast Sticks

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: These French Toast sticks are the reason I want to come here when I do fast food breakfast! I have always loved them and they are very gooey and soft, and I just want to eat them all the time.

A​llergy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Rationale: Only Gluten-Free people can’t enjoy this, but the sausage and the bacon is pretty good. You can also gets eggs as well, but I am allergic to scrambled eggs, but I can eat eggs cooked in like cakes for example. I can do baked items, but eggs as a whole is another different story.

H​ashbrowns/Fries

F​ood Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I enjoy the fries and the hashbrowns, though I love the hashbrowns better because they are always crispy and fresh, but the fries are good whenever I eat lunch and dinner there. Plus they only serve hashbrowns at breakfast, so you have to do fries after breakfast. I would definitely eat the fries, they have the right amount of salt so it doesn’t taste dry.

A​llergy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: Anyone can enjoy fried potatoes, but be careful of the potential allergens that can possibly cross contaminate.

C​hicken Fries/Chicken Nuggets

Food Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I definitely would say the chicken fries are better than the chicken nuggets. I do like Burger King offering chicken fries because it is unique offering that no other fast food restaurants have. The Chicken Fries are very crispy and have a good flavor to them, it complements my french fries well. For the nuggets I do think Burger King needs to improve their chicken nuggets for me to try them again, I wasn’t impressed with them at all. It had no crunch to it, I like the chicken nuggets with some crunch to it. It feels like you are eating microwave chicken nuggets. I know lots of people who don’t like them either, so BK might revamp the nuggets, but who knows!

Allergy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Rationale: Vegans and Gluten-Free people should stay away but I would recommend the chicken fries, if you want to try the chicken nuggets you can, but if I were you I would choose the chicken fries over the nuggies.

B​urgers

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I love seeing the grill marks on my burgers. I love getting the bacon king (no cheese) and it is one of the best fast food burgers you will find. I like the whooper as well (add bacon of course). The buns are pretty good and the meat is juicy so I really enjoy eating their burgers.

A​llergy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: Vegans should check out Burger King’s impossible whooper, I know some vegetarians and vegans and they like the sandwich. Gluten-Free people should take the bun off, and they’ll be fine, so anyone can eat BK’s burgers and I would rate this as the most allergy friendly food burger king has.

A​llergy Restaurant Review of Burger King: 4 out of 5 Stars

B​K takes care of their customers with allergies by offering the Impossible Whooper, it is an advantage over the other fast food places who don’t offer it yet, so I would say BK is the most friendly fast food place for vegans. BK does have an allergen menu on their website, but hasn’t updated their allergen menu since 2017. If you are in doubt of anything please ask the people there and request BK to update their allergen menu as well, let management know so they can fix it. Other than that I feel like anyone with allergies can eat safely at BK, though I have had a couple of allergic reactions and when I was a toddler I puked on Burger King’s floor because BK’s chicken nuggets had dairy in it (yes, I still vaguely remember this happening), so we had to check and make sure what I was eating was truly dairy-free for the next time. Do your due diligence and you should have no allergic reactions.

C​arrabba’s Italian Grill Allergen Menu: https://carrabbas.blob.core.windows.net/assets/2023-april-cig-allergens.pdf

T​his restaurant is one of my parent’s favorites. Whenever they’re on a date night, it comes to no shock when they mention this restaurant. I can see why, they have really good food. I remember eating a Tuscan Pork Chop, bread, soup, and pasta! Though I haven’t had this restaurant in a while!

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

R​ationale: I love eating the bread! Their bread is really good! I have enjoyed everything else as well. I like the soup, the pasta, and the Tuscan pork chop, but I really enjoy the bread, and makes me excited to eat there. I eat there somewhat often because there is one 30 minutes from my hometown of Marysville, Ohio, but when my parents are in the Dublin/Hilliard/Polaris area. They want to go to Carrabba’s and I would say it is a wise choice. The food is excellent and I would highly recommend eating there.

A​llergy Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

R​ationale: The sad thing is that it looks like the Tuscan Pork Chop has dairy. The bread and dip does too! Though the next time I go I will ask to see if it is the dip and the bread have dairy in it or is it just the dip? The only meat that is dairy-free is the salmon. I am asking to see if there is anyway the meats couldn’t be cooked with butter. It seems like they have changed a lot of their recipes and there aren’t as many options for me anymore. For this restaurant I would ask to make sure that your food is allergy-friendly for you! I have had no allergic reactions here, just communicate your allergies and you should be fine. I would highly recommend eating here!

A​rby’s Allergen Menu: https://assets.ctfassets.net/o19mhvm9a2cm/3l9ojehAZlc84QuD6Gg6Mv/a88df28c217e96248f121a9baf7d3706/Arbys_Nutritional_and_Allergen_JAN_2023.pdf

I​ have enjoyed Arby’s since I was a kid. I have always enjoyed their food. Plus I haven’t had an allergic reaction. I’m allergic to dairy and that is a big plus for me because finding dairy-free food can be a challenge, hints why I started Ben’s Allergy & Restaurant Reviews, so I can help make it easier for people like me who have food allergies to find allergy-friendly food.

C​hicken

Food Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I personally enjoyed the nuggets and the tenders (tenders now have dairy in them). I personally enjoy eating the chicken nuggets. They have a crunch like you would expect to find at a place like Wingstop or Buffalo Wild Wings.

A​llergy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: Gluten-Free people and vegans should not eat this product!

R​oast Beef

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I get the double roast beef sandwich take it home, put dairy-free cheese and you got yourself a sandwich. I normally get the chicken nuggets, but this is another great option for me that I will take advantage off.

A​llergy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: people who are vegans should avoid eating here. You’ll have to make sure they don’t add something in the meat that makes it have gluten, for gluten-free people you can just get it without the bun.

F​ries (Crinkle & Curly)

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I really enjoy the seasoning on the curly fries & the crinkle fries are just what you’d expect. They’re really enjoyable to eat.

A​llergy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: Both the crinkle and curly fries contain wheat. Gluten-free people shouldn’t avoid eating the fries.

A​pple Turnovers

F​ood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: The icing was really good! I enjoyed the apple filling with it as well, but the icing was the best part of the apple turnover.

A​llergy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: The Apple Turnover is dairy-free! It is hard to find dairy-free desserts. The apple turnover does contain Wheat and soy. Gluten-free people and people with soy allergies shouldn’t be eating this!

A​llergy Rating of Restaurant: 4 out of 5 stars

R​ationale: I’m not thrilled they changed the recipe of the chicken tenders because I really enjoyed eating them, but I’m ok! Luckily they didn’t put dairy in the chicken nuggets. They replaced the potato cakes with crinkle fries. I really enjoy both, but I can get crinkle fries at so many other places and this was the one place I can get potato cakes, they were really good! Other than those changes, they communicate their allergens well and updated it in January of 2023, so it is pretty recent. They seem to take allergies seriously and luckily I have never had an allergic reaction to Arby’s and I really enjoy eating here and would highly recommend it!

H​i, my name is Ben Alexander and I want to tell you a story about food allergies. I have been allergic to dairy my whole life! I am anaphylactic to dairy, which is the most severe type of allergic reaction if you didn’t know. As long as I have lived this dairy allergy has all what I have known. When dairy hits my mouth, it is a bad sign, it ends up in panicked friends and family members, and I can get really sick to the point where going to the hospital is very much in the realm of possibilities.

W​ith all the activities that I do and all the groups that I hang out with, I have come to realize that they want to go to restaurants that seem unfamiliar to me or familiar to me but not sure if it is allergy friendly. The first thing that comes to my mind, does this restaurant have anything to eat? The unfortunate reality is that there are a lot of restaurants that do not have allergen menus, and I am coming in and trying to solve that problem to the best of my abilities. 

I​ will share with you my allergy and food ratings of popular restaurants and review the restaurant for the quality of food and how they handle allergies. I will also do the same for small, local restaurants as well and help them write allergen menus for their guests. I want to set the standard for all restaurants that having an allergen menu is a must if they want to drive in new customers. My goal is to educate everyone on the importance of food allergies because not everyone knows or even thinks about food allergies. My goal also isn’t to be mean or super critical to restaurants, I just want to help them see their food improve so more customers will want to eat at their shop, that is the main goal of this, plus for consumers with food allergies to feel more comfortable eating out when they need or want to.

When there is an allergen menu on their website, I feel much safer and I feel like they take allergen precautions and I know I can eat their food. It is always nerve racking when my friends or a group gets food that is unfamiliar to me. I can call or ask, but it is valuable time wasted for the restaurant because they have to go ask for people and check ingredients to see if I can eat the food or not, and I always feel bad for doing this because I know they have a business and they need to focus on their business. I wanted to start this company to fix the gap that is being ignored, so it will make the customer want to come into a restaurant and the restaurant will see revenue increases because people with allergies know they can eat their safely.

I​ am building this company from the ground-up because I see that most restaurants don’t have time to deal with this issue and often gets overlooked. It is a lot to build an allergen menu and that is why I will do it for the restaurant free of charge. All the restaurant will have to do is send me photos of all the food ingredients and I will gather them up and create a readable allergen menu where everyone can read the information. If you’re a restaurant owner please email me at benallergyandrestaurantreviews@gmail.com or reach out to me on my social media links.

L​ife throws lots of curveballs and your friends will want to go out to eat and the question is… Does this restauraunt have anything that I can eat? The age old question I have asked so many times. Trust me I understand that it is hard to go to restaurants having food allergies, I have lived it my whole life. I want to invite you to subscribe, follow, share, and like my content on all my socials. I also have products that I recommend trying that are allergy-friendly and have been taste tested and improved by me.