It really has not been very long since people started speaking up about Celiac Disease and Gluten sensitivities. People who are sensitive to gluten are advised to eat a gluten free diet in order to protect their health. This often meant that people who were sensitive to gluten and Celiac Disease often had to miss out on dining out with friends or families or risk become ill from food that contained gluten or were cooked on a grill that remnants of gluten containing foods cooked on them. However, today with so many people speaking out about their need for gluten free diets, Gluten free menu items are becoming more prevalent and even traditional restaurants are including gluten free menu items on their normal menus.
Chain and Fast Food Restaurants Making the Cut
As more and more restaurants become aware of the different dietary needs that those with gluten sensitivities have they have begun to make a real effort to meet the needs of these consumers in the hopes of increasing their businesses and earning the loyalty of new customers. Even chain and fast food restaurants have been showing their desire to serve these customers by including gluten free menu items alongside their traditional offerings. Some of the more popular chain restaurants today are offering gluten free menu items to all their customers. Some of these food chains include:
- Boston Market
- Denny's
- Olive Garden
- Outback Steakhouse
- P.F. Chang’s
Economics may be the Reason for Growing Awareness
The truth is that economics may be the main reason for this growing awareness of Celiac disease and gluten sensitivities. In order to stay in business in this day and age restaurants have to cater to wider range of customer needs and wants than ever before. It is no longer the dining establishments that give out the most foods, or the ones with the best atmosphere that attract new customers, but the ones who make a real effort to cater to the needs of a wide customer base.
For most people dining out is no longer a daily or even weekly option, so in order to fill tables and stay in businesses restaurants have to be flexible in designing their menus to meet the needs of a wide variety of customers. For that reason alone you will see more choices on restaurant menus than ever before as well as more and more money savings coupons to encourage people to visit specific dining establishments.
The simple truth is that if one establishment does not meet the needs of any given consumer the consumer will go to one that will meet his needs. Which makes it all the more imperative for those dining establishments who want to stay in business and succeed find a way to meet the need of as many consumers as possible without incurring too much overhead in doing so. Offering gluten free menu items is just one way that restaurant chains are meeting the needs of more and more consumers.
