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Thousands of fast food lovers have signed a petition pressuring McDonald’s to add more gluten-free options to the menu.
Chloe Radzikowski, 22, got the no-dough ball rolling last year after discovering she had developed an intolerance.
The U.K.-based paramedic in training was forced to go cold turkey on some of her favorite foods —including the entire menu at McDonald’s, where she often hits the drive-thru with her co-workers.
The petition has already been signed by 5,600 different people, including some prominent Britons — with new names being added all the time, according to Radzikowski.
“Every 30 seconds someone else would sign — I couldn’t believe it, she told SWNS.
“Last year I was having stomach problems and I went for some tests,” Radzikowski explained.
“My friend suggested not eating gluten and within a few months I lost two stones and it changed my life — I feel so much better.”
“But when I’m with my friends and we go for a McDonald’s after a night out I”m just there waiting to go home while they eat.”
“It’s not just about being eating, it’s about being with your friends and convenience.”
For those who’ve been fortunate enough to never experience gluten intolerance, Radzikowski revealed what it actually means.
“The only way I can describe [what it’s like when I eat gluten] is as the worst period pain you’ve ever had times ten,” she confessed.
“And then you’re going to the toilet too — I’ve only been sick a few times but honest to God its horrible.”
“You’re lethargic and it lasts for a few days.”
Radzikowski said she was inspired to start the petition after vacationing in countries like Spain and Italy, where McDonald’s appears to cheerfully cater to its gluten-free clientele.
“Last year in August I went to Lanzarote with my family and we were in a McDonald’s,” said the student, currently studying at the University of Central Lancashire.
“My mom was like ‘Chloe, look!’ and there was a full gluten-free section.”
“I actually stood in McDonald’s crying.”
“They had like six different burgers with gluten-free bread provided by a brand called Schar. It was the same at Burger King.”
Back home in the United Kingdom, she was told that only the hash browns and french fries at McDonald’s could be considered safe — assuming the kitchen had made the appropriate efforts to avoid cross-contamination.
McDonald’s in the United States is similarly off-limits for sufferers.
“McDonald’s currently doesn’t certify any menu items as gluten-free,” the company states as a caution on its American web site. “We encourage you to check the ingredients information for individual menu items.”
Radzikowski wants things to change in the U.K. — or, at least an explanation as to why gluten-free works in some countries but not in others.
“”At least give us answers — they’ve managed to do it in other countries. I just want the same menu as abroad and to be able to just go to the screen and order,” she said.
“I think I’ve read before that McDonald’s say their kitchens aren’t big enough but they’ve built so many new restaurants and made space for a vegan burger,” she said, referring to the U.K.’s McPlant, made with a patty produced by trendy plant-based supplier Beyond Meat.
“Oh my God, I’d do anything for a chicken nugget now,” she joked.
When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for McDonald’s sent this statement: “All restaurant crew are required to complete allergen awareness training, where they learn about legally recognized allergens and the importance of preparing orders that have been customized from our standard menu.”
“We also provide clear allergen labeling for all menu items at the point of ordering, whether that be in a restaurant, at the Drive Thru or when ordering online.”
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