Zaxby has proven to be a great place to consider for a bite for anyone strictly on a gluten-free diet.
After all, it has various gluten-free food items, including its popular salads and chicken wings.
One notable item on its menu is the Zax sauce, which turns out to be gluten-free.
There is also the spicy Zax sauce that also doesn’t contain gluten.
It is also worth noting that Zaxby also has other gluten-free sauces on its menu.
The sauces include honey mustard sauce, tongue torch sauce, marinara sauce, wimpy sauce, BBQ sauce, hot honey mustard sauce, buffalo garlic blaze sauce, insane sauce, and nuclear sauce.
In other words, you are spoilt with options when looking for a gluten-free sauce at Zax.
Nevertheless, it is unclear how careful the staff is when preparing its gluten-free food items.
Consequently, you can’t rule out cross-contamination entirely, hence the need to be careful when ordering, especially if your gluten intolerance is extreme.
So, let’s learn more about Zaxby and its gluten-free options on its menu.
What is the History of Zaxby?
As you walk into Zaxby for its delicious Zax sauce, crunchy chicken wings, mouth-watering salads, or any other dish, it would be good to know about the origin of Zaxby.
Despite the remarkable growth, this restaurant chain started relatively small in 1990.
Its co-founder, Zach McLeroy, a professional drummer at the time, decided to give the food business a shot.
He was serious about the venture to the extent that he sold his drum set for up to $8000 for the capital.
His friend Tony Townley, a business associate, also joined this venture with a similar investment.
That’s how the pair managed to open the first Zaxby restaurant in Statesboro, GA, near the Georgia Southern University.
The building was about 800 square feet without much scenery.
Its proximity to the university was most likely why it was popular among the students.
Its menu was also quite basic, comprising food items such as several sandwiches, chicken fingers, and chicken wings.
Given how much this restaurant has grown, it is hard to picture that, but that’s the reality.
Initially, the idea was to concentrate on college towns, but its presence even in business centers shows they are no longer its targets.
Its huge and loyal fanbase has contributed significantly to this rapid growth.
What Else is Gluten-Free on the Zaxby’s Menu?
Besides the Zax sauce and other sauces, other food items on Zaxby’s menu don’t have gluten.
These options include the following;
Gluten-free Beverages
Zaxby offers the following gluten-free beverages;
- Apple Juice
- Barqs Root Beer
- Cherry Dr. Pepper
- Cherry Vanilla Coke
- Chocolate Milk
- Coca Cola
- Coffee
- Coke with Cherry
- Coke with Vanilla
- Coke Zero
- Diet Coke
- Diet Dr. Pepper
- Pepper
- Fanta Cherry
- Fanta Orange
- Fanta Strawberry
- Hi-C Fruit Punch
- Hi-C Orange
- Mello Yello
- Milk
- Minute Maid Lemonade
- Minute Maid Lemonade with Strawberry
- Minute Maid Pink Lemonade
- Seagram’s Ginger Ale
- Simply Orange Juice
- Sprite
- Sprite with Peach
- Sweet
- Unsweet Tea
Gluten-free Sides
The following sides have neither wheat nor any other gluten ingredients;
- Celery and Ranch
- Coleslaw
- Crinkle Fries
- Potato Salad
- Tater Chips
Since its fries aren’t gluten-free, you should mention that you need them or fry them with the gluten-free chicken wings.
Gluten-free Dressings
If you are gluten-free, the following dressings are great options.
- Thousand Island
- Ranch
- Mediterranean
- Lite Vinaigrette
- Lite Ranch
- Honey Mustard
- Caesar
- Bleu Cheese
Gluten-free Salads
Zaxby calls salads zalads, and the gluten-free ones include the following;
- Side Salad
- The Caesar Zalad without Chicken, Grilled Chicken, or Croutons
- The Ranchero Zalad
Gluten-free Main Food
All the chicken wings at Zaxby are gluten-free.
It is advisable also to pair them with gluten-free dipping sauces to adhere to your diet requirements.
Gluten-free Desserts
Other than the Birthday Cake Milkshake, don’t order any other dessert at Zaxby if you are on a gluten-free diet.
Which Zaxby Food Should You Avoid for Your Gluten-Free Diet?
On the other hand, Zaxby’s menu also has food items containing gluten, including the following;
Zax Kid Meals
If you have the company of kids with gluten sensitivity, Zaxby may not be an ideal place,
That’s unless they will be okay strictly eating the fries this restaurant makes.
Other than that, any other kid meal on its menu contains gluten.
Desserts
Like any other restaurant, most of the desserts on the Zaxby menu aren’t gluten-free.
It has one exception, but the rest are no-go zones for a gluten-free meal.
Chicken Fingers with Each Sauce
It is no secret that most sauces at Zaxby, including the Zax Sauce, are gluten-free.
However, one can’t say that about the chicken fingers since they contain gluten.
As delicious as they may be, avoid them at all costs if you have gluten intolerance.
Sauce
As much as Zaxby has many gluten-free sauces, two don’t follow.
The two gluten sauces are teriyaki sauce and its sweet and spicy counterpart.
Boneless Wings with Each Sauce
This item is also bad for your gluten sensitivity.
One of its ingredients is gluten; regardless of the sauce you choose, that fact remains.
Sandwich
You will no longer enjoy a gluten-free meal if you order a bread or bun sandwich.
After all, one of their ingredients is wheat, a main sauce of the allergen.
Your alternative is ordering an open sandwich or using lettuce instead of bread.
The same case applies to the burgers.
Salads
Other than a few options, most salads on the Zaxby menu contain gluten.
Some have wheat, whereas others use soy.
Therefore, avoid them, especially if you have celiac or extreme gluten intolerance.
Things You Should Know Before Ordering Gluten-Free Food at Zaxby
To be on the safe side, consider the following tips;
- Find out what other people are saying about gluten-free food items from the internet, especially reviews
- There is a possibility for cross-contamination since the restaurant also serves food items containing gluten
- Talking to the staff for consideration on the same can make a huge difference
- Be as clear as possible to the staff about how dangerous even a small amount of gluten can be to your health to ensure they are extremely careful throughout your meal’s preparation
- Order last to avoid being rushed by other customers since that can make you order something you shouldn’t
- Be selective when choosing your meal, and ensure you choose a gluten-free one
- Understanding gluten-free ingredients can also help
With that in mind and the gluten-free menu options, there are low chances of consuming gluten at Zaxby.