Jason’s Deli To Add Gluten Free Bread
Many of our face book friends took the Jason’s Deli poll inquiring about how many people would be interested in buying gluten free sandwiches a couple of months ago. The good news is that your feedback has been heard, and the decisions have been made.
According to Kim Jones, Jason’s Deli Nutrition Training Facilitator, “You will be pleased to know that we will be offering gluten free bread in all of our delis beginning July 5th.” The gluten free bread has been used in test locations for the past 3 months and has been well received.
When I asked about cross-contamination, here is the response I got: “We are providing training and information regarding gluten to our employees, however as a restaurant company with 220+ delis that serves lots of different foods that contain gluten we are, unfortunately, not able to guarantee that we are serving 100% gluten free foods due to cross contamination. As I am sure you know, contamination can occur in so many ways and from so many things such as utensils, plates, bowls, cutting boards, knives, storage containers and our bread ovens just to name a few.
The best thing we can do and will do in our delis is to do what we do best – listen to our guests’ requests and honor them when making their food.”
Jason’s will be offering Udi’s Whole Grain Bread as an option in each location. The Ingredients are: Filtered Water, Tapioca Starch, Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Canola Oil or Sunflower Oil, Egg Whites, Evaporated Cane Juice, Tapioca Maltodextrin, Teff Flour, Tapioca Syrup, Flax Seed Meal, Yeast, Xanthan Gum, Salt, Baking Powder (Sodium Bicarbonate, Cornstarch, Calcium Sulfate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Cultured Brown Rice Flour, Cultured Dextrose, Molasses, Enzymes, Ascorbic Acid (Contains Cellulose and Cornstarch). Contains: Eggs
“At Jason’s Deli, we’re all about healthy food. We’ve even been named “One of the 10 Best Restaurants in America!” in the July 2009 issue of Parents Magazine. You won’t find high fructose corn syrup, trans fats or MSG in any of our food – just healthy, fresh and even organic foods. From sandwiches to salads, Jason’s Deli offers healthy food that everyone can feel good about. And it’s not only healthy food – it’s delicious food.”
Check here to look at their allergen info and see the many gluten free options Jason’s already has on the menu. (You can find the menu of your closest location and the GF options are listed with a brown oval next to them as well.)
Use their Zip Code Locator to find a location near you.
I am so excited to hear this news and will share on my blog and with my GF friends too!! One more company stepping up to the challenge… one more company I will definitely support! And Udi’s bread?? Who can complain about that?
I was really excited until I read that they can’t do anything about the cross contamination. My son and I have Celiac Disease so we won’t be coming there, sigh… Looking for places that have a designated area and change their gloves to prepare food!!!
Dawn- they said they are educating their employees and that means changing gloves and doing their best to apply safe practices. No restaurant will guarantee you 100% gluten free, but it does seem as though Jason’s are alert to what needs to be done to be as safe as they can be, as they said. Doesn’t sound as if you need to be saddened by the statement they made, but people’s experiences will tell.
They also stated, “The best thing we can do and will do in our delis is to do what we do best – listen to our guests’ requests and honor them when making their food.”
I would think if you ask the employee to change their gloves and fix your sandwich on top of a piece of foil or something they might just respect your request and do it.
Only time will tell.
Thank you! My son and I can now have a sandwich out!
Thank you! My son and I can now have a sandwich out!
Hurrah! I’ve been served gluten-free only by scanning their computer print out lists of ingredients in each menu item that they’ve kept in a notebook on the counter. This will make it easier for me to have them deliver and to take employees & friends out to lunch. Many thanks and kudos to Jason’s!
By the way, I’m delighted that they’re going to be using Udi’s. This is a great bread I learned aobut on the Gluten Freeville site, found at my local health food store & I’m in love with as the closest thing to traditional bread that I’ve tried yet. Hope the Udi bakery can keep up with all that Jason’s will likely need.
Good for Jason’s Deli! Some people (DAWN) are impossible to please.
Delighted to know this as Udi’s whole grain is the ONLY bread I can eat. However, as when any restaurant starts serving gluten-free products, the staff MUST be trained in avoiding cross-contamination! Will they know not to prepare gluten-free sandwiches on the same breadboard or cut with the same knife as gluten-containing breads? Questionable! I’ve often been poisoned by restaurants claiming to serve gluten-free products because the staff is as ignorant as ever! This is ONE side of a two-sided coin. PLEASE CONTINUE TO INCORPORATE gluten-free products into your menu, BUT:
ADD an educated staff, and I may return to eating in restaurants!
Thank you!
I went to Jason for lunch. I had a tuna sandwich. I was there at 11am before there could be extensive cross contamination. The manager made it for me. He said that the sandwiches are prepare on a separate tray and gloves are changed before making the sandwich. We will see what tomorrow brings.
I am a former employee of Jason’s and also have Celiacs.
As a former employee I can tell you that this company does care about its patrons. If you have concerns that their ability to keep sanitary conditions for handling GF foods I would call and recommend calling and talking to the store managers to voice your concerns. They may be able inform you of a time that is less busy and when cross contamination would be less likely.
As a Celiac I can not express how thrilled I am that another restaurant is jumping on our wagon. Yes their may be issues with cross contamination but look at it this way… If a national fast food like chain is attempting to include us in their dining experience then our voice is being heard. It may be awhile before every kink is worked out but by this simple act the are proving that awareness for Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity is spreading.
I am very excited about this! I haven’t been to Jason’s Deli in quit some time after switching to a GF lifestyle. I love their food so much!! Now I can go back and actually have a sandwich.
And those of you who are worried about cross-contamination and whether or not Jason’s Deli will properly train their staff on this…NO restaurant can guarantee that it is GF unless it is a certified GF location…meaning they use absolutely NO wheat/gluten products anywhere inside that building, and that the food supplies they receive have also come from facilities where this is the case. That’s a very slight chance of being reality. The employees at my local deli are very accommodating and have ALWAYS catered to every single one of my requests. I’m not difficult, but I do have certain things I like and don’t like, just as everyone else has their preferences. They have never given me any trouble with anything. So I’m certain that if you ask them to prepare your sandwich with fresh gloves and in a separate prep area that hasn’t seen any other wheat products, they would be happy to accommodate your request.