Yesterday as I was getting ready to head out to pick up Jon and his friends to take them to hockey practice, I read some of the best news – Red Robin is now serving Udi’s Gluten-Free buns in select locations across the country! Red Robin is one of the restaurants that I know I can count on when traveling or when I want a safe meal. In addition to being gluten-free-friendly, they are also cognizant of other food allergens, too. Kids also seem to enjoy Red Robin. I know Hannah loves to play the video games upfront while waiting for our meal and they always give out balloons.

(source)

There is a bit of bad news with this announcement. Currently, only Red Robin’s in 6 states are serving the Udi’s buns. Those 6 states are:

Arizona

California

Colorado

Nevada

Oregon

Washington

If live in a different state or if your Red Robin is not serving Udi’s Gluten-Free buns, please speak with the management to see about getting the buns there. If there is one thing that I know for sure, it is that we (the Celiac and gluten-free community) can make a difference and can get companies to listen to us. Use your voice; let Red Robin know what you would like them to serve. Seeing that Udi’s has their products in stores (and Jason’s Deli) nationwide and Red Robin is already serving them at some locations, I can’t see that it would be too difficult to make this happen. I know that I will be making a trip to our local Red Robin in the very near future to see what I can do.

This topic reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend last week. This friend happens to own & run a food truck and has been playing around with the idea of offering gluten-free options. He has asked about frying the fries and the other foods that he serves. This week he asked me about gluten-free buns. I recommended Udi’s. I went on to explain that while they are found in the freezer section in stores here in Columbus, they can be kept at room temperature. Turns out the only food that he serves that isn’t gluten-free would be regular buns & pita bread for gyros. If he can keep those separate, he can begin to target a whole different audience and hopefully increase his profits.

If you have had the chance to try the Red Robin burger (or other sandwiches they offer that are gluten-free), please share your thoughts below. Please consider making a call to your local Red Robin (even if your state is listed above) to ensure they have the buns in stock. I would hate to send anyone on a wild goose chase, though I would just drown my no-bun sorrows in a basket of their fries!