The call that changes everything
Five minutes on the phone — at 3pm, never during service — tells you more than any menu. Ask two questions: 'Can you cater for coeliac disease, not just gluten-free preference?' and 'Do you use a separate fryer and prep area?' The pause before the answer is data. A confident kitchen answers immediately; a hesitant one just told you everything.
Menu red flags and green lights
- Red flags: shared fryers (chips are the classic trap), soy sauce in marinades, flour-dusted grills, croutons and crispy onions added by default.
- Green lights: a marked allergen menu, staff who ask 'allergy or preference?', kitchens that volunteer their prep process unprompted.
Order like a regular
Keep a default order for each cuisine: grilled protein with rice and vegetables works almost everywhere. At Italian, risotto over pasta unless they stock gluten-free pasta with separate water. At Indian, tandoori dishes and dal — skip the naan basket and bring your curry night home later in the week instead.
The phrases that work
'I have coeliac disease — even small amounts of gluten make me ill' lands better than 'I'm gluten-free'. One describes a medical need; the other, to a busy kitchen, sounds like a preference that can flex. Precision protects you.
When it goes wrong anyway
Despite best efforts, mistakes happen. Don't escalate at the table — flag it calmly, note what you learned, and adjust the list. Restaurant confidence is a skill that compounds: every good experience widens the map.
