Shake Shack Gluten Free Menu: 65 Options (& the 3 Most Popular Items)

The Shake Shack gluten free menu is inclusive of burgers and the restaurant is actually fairly accommodating of those with a gluten intolerance so it should be fairy easy to pick from the 65 GF options below.¹

And for those who can’t decide which option they want, simply check out the 3 most popular GF items below to see others’ favorites.

Are There Gluten Free Options At Shake Shack?

According to the publically-available allergen information on the Shake Shack website, there are dozens of gluten free options at Shake Shack. These aren’t just foods that have no gluten in their ingredients, but also foods that are free of gluten contamination risks in the supply chain.

As long as a customer informs the staff of their condition and requests the cooks take care to avoid accidental gluten cross contamination, gluten levels should remain within tolerable bounds.²

Source: Jon Tyson from Unsplash³

This level of restriction is for those with celiac disease, who shouldn’t consume more than 10mg of gluten per day.⁴ When someone has a non-celiac gluten intolerance, they may consider eating more than just the 65 items available on Shake Shack’s gluten-free menu.⁵

For instance, the fries can be considered hazardous for someone with celiac disease and safe for someone with a milder gluten sensitivity.

Are Shake Shack Fries Gluten Free?

The gluten-free menu at Shake Shack doesn’t include fries, even though the fries themselves contain no wheat-based ingredients. However, Shake Shack kitchens use shared fryers for fries and breaded foods, which results in high levels of guaranteed gluten contamination.⁶

A large order of fries has about a 50% chance of containing more gluten than is safe for a person with celiac disease to consume daily. Similarly, Whataburger fries are not gluten-free.

That probably won’t cause an episode on its own, but it will bring a person dangerously close to the threshold of gluten the body can tolerate. Even if some people with celiac disease indulge in Shake Shack fries in moderation, it’s best to avoid them altogether to be 100% safe.

Does Shake Shack Have Gluten Free Buns?

According to the Shake Shack website, the majority of the chain’s US locations offer gluten free buns for hamburgers. However, this varies by location and a single location might run out of gluten free buns. Even if a specific location doesn’t have gluten free buns, though, there are still options for eating gluten free burgers at Shake Shack.

Official policy is that all locations will offer a lettuce wrap as a gluten-free alternative, upon request. Staff will also avoid cross contamination and apply special care to food handling when a customer informs them of their condition.

That said, there are no gluten free hot dog buns at Shake Shack. This may change in the future, but at the moment lettuce wraps and bunless hot dogs are the only gluten free options.

The Complete Shake Shack Gluten Free Menu

When it comes to gluten content on the Shake Shack menu, there are three categories of foods. First, there are foods that inherently have high amounts of gluten that are a no-go for anyone with a gluten sensitivity.

This includes all fried foods at Shake Shack, especially the fried and breaded chicken, as well as the french fries. These items are not part of Shake Shack’s gluten-free options.

Source: Thomas Habr from Unsplash⁷

Second, there are foods that have no risk of contamination except for poor handling. There are no ingredients with gluten and nothing originates from facilities where gluten contamination is a risk. Naturally, these foods are on the gluten free menu.

There’s a third category, though, that’s more complicated. These are foods that are almost gluten free but have an optional topping or ingredient that creates a risk of gluten contamination.

These items are on the gluten free menu, but with an asterisk and special instructions on ordering them and eating them safely.

GF Shake Shack Burgers & Gluten-Free Extras

All burgers at Shake Shack come with a gluten bun by default, but customers can ask for a lettuce wrap or a gluten free bun instead. However, just asking for this accommodation doesn’t make all Shake Shack burgers gluten free.

Many options have an additional risk of gluten contamination from one of the toppings and these are marked with an asterisk* below.

One example is the Lockhart Link Burger, which isn’t celiac-safe because of the Jalapeno Cheese Sausage Link topping. A Lockhart Link Burger without this topping is just a regular Shack Burger.

Even though a person could order a Lockhart Link Burger without the sausage link, it would be pointless, so this option and several other similar burgers aren’t on the gluten free menu at Shake Shack.

Other burgers, such as the Roadside Double and the Shack Burger come with sauces and toppings that don’t have gluten in the ingredients but come from facilities that also handle gluten.

Those with a mild gluten sensitivity might choose to order the burgers as they are, but someone with celiac should only eat the burgers in question if they ask for the burger without the offending toppings.

Note, the burgers with an **asterisk** next to them have Shack Sauce on them that is actually free of gluten, but is made in a facility that handles wheat products:

1. Shack Burger*
2. Smoke Shack*
3. Veggie Shackburger
4. Roadside Double*
5. Green Chile CheddarShack
6. Mound City Double*
7. Golden State Double
8. Avocado Bacon Burger
9. Pickles
10. Onions
11. Gluten-Free Bun

Again, when ordering these two burgers, it’s best to ask for a burger without the sauce to minimize gluten risks.

Similar precautions are necessary for the Mound City Double. It doesn’t come with Shack Sauce, but the STL Sauce that it comes with has risks of gluten contamination.

Finally, the Roadside Double gains an asterisk because of its bacon caramelized onions. This topping comes from a facility that also handles wheat products, so the safest way to go is to order the Roadside Double without them.

GF Flat-Top Dogs & Toppings

Shake Shack currently does not have a gluten free hot dog bun. Enjoying its Flat-Top Dogs requires ordering them with a lettuce wrap or on a plate by themselves.

However, several of the alternative hot dogs, the cheese sauce, and some toppings have a risk of contamination. Flat-Top Dogs that require special accommodations have an asterisk next to them and an explanation below.

12. Garden Dog*
13. Shack-Cago Dog*
14. Hot Dog
15. Shackmeister Cheddar Brat*

The Garden Dog and Shack-Cago Dog come with the same relish, which Shake Shack sources from facilities that handle wheat products. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re unsafe, but it’s still better to ask for a dog without relish at Shake Shack.

On the other hand, the Shackmeister Cheddar Brat is unsafe because of the Shackmeister Shallots, which contain gluten.

Plus, the cheese sauce is potentially risky much like the Shake Shack relish. However, the cheddar bratwurst itself shouldn’t pose any danger of gluten contamination.

Shake Shack Breakfasts Without Gluten

Shake Shack’s breakfast sandwiches come on the same wheat bun as the burgers, by default. However, the same options are available to make them gluten free. Requesting a lettuce wrap or gluten free bun will put the following breakfast sandwiches on the gluten-free menu:

16. Egg Breakfast Sandwich
17. Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
18. Sausage Breakfast Sandwich

Gluten Free Shakes

The majority of shakes at Shake Shack have no ingredients with gluten and don’t have any risks of supply chain contamination. Currently, the only shake that actually contains gluten in its ingredients is the loaded chocolate cookies and cream shake.

However, the Bourbon Salted Honey Shake and the Black and White Shake are both partially sourced from facilities where they could become contaminated with gluten.

People with celiac disease should steer clear of these two popular shakes, although people with a non-celiac sensitivity to gluten might try them. This leaves the following shakes as gluten free:

19. Strawberry Shake
20. Vanilla Shake
21. Chocolate Shake
22. Coffee Shake
23. Peachtree Shake
24. Whipped Cream

GF Floats

All Shake Shack floats are currently gluten-free, which includes the following:

25. Root Beer
26. Purple Cow
27. Creamsicle

Shake Shack Custard & Mix-Ins Without Gluten

The gluten-free menu at Shake Shack includes custard that’s mostly free of gluten. The important accommodation is to eat it in a cup, rather than a cone, since the cone will have gluten. After that, it’s a question of avoiding the custard mix-ins that have ingredients with gluten. The following mix ins and toppings are all gluten free options:

28. Frozen Custard
29. Strawberry puree
30. Fudge
31. chocolate toffee
32. marshmallow
33. caramel
34. chocolate sprinkles

Gluten-Free Drinks

All drinks at Shake Shack are gluten free except for the Beer Float and the Brooklyn Brewery Shackmeister Ale.

35. Shack White
36. Shack Red
37. Sparkling Wine
38. Dr. Pepper
39. Fanta Orange
40. Sprite
41. Fanta Grape
42. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
43. Mountain Dew
44. Sierra Mist
45. Crush
46. Pepsi
47. Pepsi Max
48. Abita Root Beer
49. Iced Tea
50. Coke
51. Coke, Diet
52. Apple Ciderade
53. Cran Citrus Punch
54. Pomegranate Yuzu Lemonade
55. Apple Ciderade
56. Cran Citrus Punch
57. 50/50 Pomegranate Lemonade
58. Shake Shack Shack2O Water
59. Sparkling Shake Shack Shack2O Water
60. Apple Juice
61. Fresh Lemonade
62. Fifty/Fifty Fresh Lemonade

Other GF Items

Some other gluten free desserts at Shake Shack that don’t fit into the above categories are:

63. Vanilla Ice Cream Cup
64. Chocolate Ice Cream Cup
65. Mast Brothers Buttermilk Chocolate

Gluten-Free Fan Favorites From Shake Shack

There are three items on Shake Shack’s gluten free menu that stand out in terms of popularity:⁸

The Green Chili CheddarShack on a gluten free bun: Since so many burger toppings at Shake Shack have gluten, the green chili mix and shredded white cheddar on this burger are a popular way to change it up. The combination of flavorful, mild green chili in particular is a great compliment to the fresh-ground beef burger.

Another favorite is the lettuce-wrapped Shackmeister Cheddar Brat without the Shackmeister Shallots or cheese sauce.

At that point, it is technically just a cheddar bratwurst with a lettuce substitute for the bun, but it’s still one of the best dogs on the menu and an excellent lunch.

Of course, there can’t be any mention of Shake Shack without its shakes. The Peachtree Shake is a unique flavor that many other places don’t carry, and it’s a gluten-free favorite.

So many flavorings and sweeteners are contaminated with gluten, so this is a refreshing change of pace.

GF Sample Order From The Shake Shack Gluten Free Menu

It’s important to remember to ask for accommodation when ordering at Shake Shack. On the one hand, the employees will take steps to avoid gluten contamination if they’re informed of a customer’s medical condition.

Plus, they need to know about a person’s gluten intolerance so that they know to serve burgers and hot dogs gluten-free style. An example of how to place an order for a gluten free meal at Shake Shack might look like this:

Photo by Christopher Williams on Unsplash⁹

Main Dish: Shack Burger without Shack Sauce, served on a gluten free bun.

Side Dish: Shackmeister Cheddar Brat without shallots or cheese sauce, served in a lettuce wrap.

Drink: Fifty/Fifty Pomegranate Yuzu Lemonade.

Dessert: Mast Brothers Buttermilk Chocolate.

Learn about ordering gluten free at other restaurants too, such as:

• Burger King gluten free
• Gluten free White Castle
• Whataburger gluten free
• Waffle House gluten free
• Denny’s gluten free

Having celiac disease or gluten intolerance doesn’t mean that a person can’t enjoy eating out so let the Shake Shack gluten free menu guide you on potential options to order but always notify the staff to be 100% certain they don’t cross contaminate.