Denny’s is a popular family restaurant chain that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. With a wide variety of menu options, Denny’s aims to accommodate various dietary needs and restrictions, including gluten-free diets.
Quick Answer
Yes, Denny’s does offer gluten-free pancakes as part of their menu.
More Detailed Answer
For those following a gluten-free diet, finding gluten-free menu options at restaurants can be challenging at times. Pancakes are a popular breakfast food enjoyed by many, but traditional pancake recipes call for ingredients like wheat flour that contain gluten.
Recognizing the demand for more gluten-free menu items, Denny’s has responded by making gluten-free pancakes available. Denny’s gluten-free pancakes are made with a blend of rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour and xanthan gum instead of wheat flour.
Denny’s states that their gluten-free pancakes contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. This meets the FDA’s standards for claiming a food is gluten-free. The cooking surfaces and utensils used to make the gluten-free pancakes are thoroughly cleaned before use to avoid any cross-contamination with gluten-containing ingredients.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information for Denny’s gluten-free pancakes is as follows according to their website:
- Calories: 260
- Total Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 460mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 57g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 9g
- Protein: 6g
Denny’s gluten-free pancakes provide a comparable amount of calories and macronutrients to their regular pancakes. Those following a gluten-free diet can still enjoy a staple breakfast food without too much difference nutritionally when opting for Denny’s gluten-free version.
How to Order
To order the gluten-free pancakes at Denny’s, there are a couple options:
- Order the gluten-free pancakes as a standalone side for breakfast, with sides and toppings of your choice
- Substitute the regular pancakes or waffles in any breakfast meal with gluten-free pancakes at no additional charge
Some popular ways to enjoy the gluten-free pancakes include:
- With bacon or sausage and eggs for a classic breakfast combo
- With fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries or bananas as a lighter option
- Topped with pecans and maple syrup for a touch of sweetness
- As a sweet snack topped with chocolate chips and whipped cream
Denny’s offers a variety of syrup options to top the gluten-free pancakes, including maple, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry and sugar-free syrups. All of their syrups and toppings are gluten-free as well.
Tips for Ordering
Here are some tips when ordering the gluten-free pancakes at Denny’s:
- Clearly state that you need the gluten-free pancakes due to a gluten allergy or intolerance
- Verify with your server that your order will be prepared gluten-free
- Avoid side items that could be cross-contaminated, like toast or hash browns cooked in shared fryers
- Request a freshly sanitized cooking surface and utensils to avoid trace gluten
- Ask for syrups, butter and toppings to be served in individual portions or on the side
- Check that condiments provided are gluten-free
Denny’s states on their website that special procedures are followed to avoid cross-contamination when preparing gluten-free orders. However, the risk cannot be fully eliminated in their kitchens. Guests with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities should use judgment in consuming menu items labeled gluten-free.
Gluten-Free Dining at Denny’s
In addition to the gluten-free pancakes, Denny’s offers a variety of other gluten-free menu options:
- Eggs and omelets made with gluten-free oil
- Bacon, sausage, ham and turkey options for breakfast meats
- Gluten-free English muffins
- Burger patties served without buns
- Salads served without croutons
- Some soup options
Denny’s indicates that the French fries and hash browns are not gluten-free because they are cooked in shared fryers. Guests can request a dedicated fryer, but availability may vary by location.
Those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease should carefully review the menu and ask questions to servers when dining at any restaurant. While Denny’s makes an effort to offer gluten-free choices, inadvertent cross-contact is possible.
Denny’s Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
In addition to the gluten-free pancakes on their menu, Denny’s has also created a gluten-free pancake mix that is sold online and in some stores.
The Denny’s gluten-free pancake mix contains:
- Rice flour
- Potato starch
- Corn starch
- Sugar
- Leavening (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate)
- Xanthan gum
- Salt
The mix allows anyone to make their own Denny’s-style gluten-free pancakes at home. The pancakes bake up with a comparable texture and flavor to the restaurant version.
The mix simplifies gluten-free baking by combining all the necessary ingredients in one package. Making pancakes with a gluten-free blend of flours takes more precise ratios compared to traditional wheat flour. The Denny’s mix takes out the guesswork.
Nutrition for Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
The nutrition facts for the Denny’s Gluten-Free Pancake Mix are:
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup dry mix (28g)
- Calories: 110
- Total Fat: 0.5g
- Sodium: 290mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 24g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 2g
How to Make Denny’s Gluten-Free Pancakes
To make pancakes using the Denny’s gluten-free mix:
- Combine 1 cup of the pancake mix with 1 cup of cold water in a medium bowl
- Let batter rest for 5 minutes to thicken
- Heat up a lightly oiled griddle or skillet over medium heat
- Scoop batter onto cooking surface using about 1/4 cup per pancake
- Cook until bubbles start to form on top surface, about 2-3 minutes
- Flip and cook other side until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes more
- Repeat with remaining batter
- Top with desired toppings and syrup
The pancake mix can be prepared faster than making pancakes completely from scratch. It also provides consistent results once the proper batter thickness is achieved.
Are Denny’s Pancakes Really Gluten-Free?
Some people wonder if Denny’s pancakes advertised as gluten-free truly are safe for celiacs and people with gluten sensitivity. Here are some key considerations:
- The pancakes are made with gluten-free ingredients and tested to contain less than 20 ppm gluten
- However, they are cooked in open kitchens with shared equipment
- Denny’s does not have dedicated gluten-free prep areas or fryers
- Cross-contamination is possible from utensils, grills, etc.
- Customers report inconsistent experiences with gluten reactions
In summary, while Denny’s has a gluten-free menu and procedures in place, a risk of gluten exposure still exists. Customers with celiac disease or who are highly sensitive should use their own judgment.
Tips for Safely Eating Denny’s Gluten-Free Pancakes
If you choose to eat the Denny’s gluten-free pancakes, here are some tips to reduce the cross-contamination risk:
- Order early in the morning before much other gluten containing food has been cooked
- Request a sanitized cooking surface and fresh utensils
- Ask for new bottles of syrup instead of shared dispensers
- Check food before eating for signs of contamination
- Avoid very busy Denny’s locations where kitchen prep is rushed
Being informed and using caution when ordering can help minimize gluten exposure. However, there is no way to fully guarantee a gluten-free meal when shared kitchen equipment is used.
Are Denny’s Pancakes Dairy-Free or Vegan?
Denny’s regular pancakes are not dairy-free or vegan, as they contain milk and eggs as key ingredients. However, Denny’s does offer dairy-free and vegan pancake options:
- Oatmeal Pancakes – Made with oats, water and oil instead of milk and eggs. Can be ordered with non-dairy milk.
- Multi-Grain Pancakes – Do not contain milk or eggs. Made with water, oil and a blend of gluten-free grains.
The standard toppings served with pancakes like butter and whipped cream are not vegan. However, dairy-free vegan options like coconut oil spreads and soy whipped topping can be requested. The fruit and syrup toppings are generally vegan.
Keep in mind that cross-contamination with dairy is possible when non-dairy pancakes are cooked in shared grills. Level of sensitivity and comfort should guide individual choices.
Are Denny’s Pancakes Nut-Free?
Denny’s standard buttermilk pancakes are nut-free, only containing ingredients like enriched flour, sugar, milk, eggs, leavening agents, and salt. None of their regular pancake varieties contain tree nuts or peanuts.
However, those with nut allergies need to be aware of possible cross-contact with nuts through shared cooking equipment and utensils. Various nut-containing menu items are prepared in Denny’s kitchens, so traces could be present.
The risk also depends on any special ingredients added to pancakes that may contain nuts. For example, pancakes topped with pecan pieces may pick up traces of peanut or tree nuts during the topping process. Carefully checking ingredients is key for nut allergy diners.
Are Denny’s Pancakes Egg-Free?
No, most of Denny’s pancake varieties contain eggs as a key ingredient. The exceptions are the oatmeal pancakes and multi-grain pancakes, which are made without egg.
For those with egg allergies, the oatmeal or multi-grain pancakes would be the best options to order. However, cross-contamination may occur from shared grills and utensils contacting egg-containing batter.
Speak to staff about preparation when ordering egg-free to determine if contact can be prevented. For severe egg allergies, it may be safest to avoid Denny’s pancakes altogether despite some egg-free varieties on the menu.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Denny’s does offer gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free and vegan pancake options on their menu. However, due to shared cooking spaces, the risk of cross-contamination exists and should be considered carefully by those with food allergies or intolerances. Carefully checking ingredients, asking questions and implementing special order requests can help mitigate risks. Denny’s provides gluten-free pancakes as a menu option, but individual sensitivities will dictate whether they are safe to enjoy for those avoiding gluten.
