McDonald’s don’t serve a gluten free menu in the UK – but they should (picture: Getty Images)

McDonald’s is facing pressure to change it’s UK menu as coeliacs across the nation unite.

While the fast food chain has a whole ‘free from’ menu abroad, those who need to follow a gluten-free diet have long lamented the lack of options closer to home.

Student paramedic Chloe Radzikowski, 22, has launched a petition for McDonald’s to sell that same menu in the UK after she had to cut gluten out her diet in February 2023, when she developed an intolerance.

And as a woman with coeliac disease (a gluten allergy) myself I can’t tell you how overdue this menu change is – and how desperately the thousands of coeliacs and gluten intolerants in the UK want it.

Since starting the petition on January 7 this year, Chloe’s Change.org petition has nearly 6,300 supporters and counting.

TV personality and TOWIE star Megan McKenna, who like me suffers with coeliac disease, shared the petition to her 2.7million followers via her Instagram story.

McDonald’s offers no gluten free burgers or wraps (picture: Getty Images)

I was diagnosed at 19 years old while I was at the University of Nottingham and my diet at the time consisted of alcohol, pizza, pasta, burnt toast and McDonald’s on a night out.

For reference every single item on that list contains gluten and as a coeliac that meant my immune system attacked my own healthy tissues every time I ate even a trace of wheat, barley or rye. This means your body cannot properly absorb any nutrients from your food.

I was severely underweight, my skin was terrible and I couldn’t keep my food down – I was so poorly the doctor feared it could be cancer – so as soon as I got my diagnosis I immediately cut out gluten.

But this meant going on a night out with my friends, having a little too much to drink and having to sit there watching as my pals devoured a Big Mac or McChicken Sandwich meal – while I ate nothing.

McDonald’s chips are gluten-free, as are the veggie dippers. But let’s be real, who wants veggie dippers after a night out? You may think ‘oh you can have a McFlurry’ – but you’d be wrong. There’s gluten in the chocolate topping.

So, you can imagine I was completely over the moon when I went on a girls trip to Lisbon and discovered the McDonald’s there had a whole gluten free menu. I can’t tell you how many burgers I ate that week.

I may even have cried a little as I tapped my order on the self-service screen but I also cried when a street food crepe stand did free-from crepes with Nutella. I get emotional about gluten free, okay!

What also vexes me about not just McDonald’s but the majority of fast-food chains and restaurants in the UK is that veggies and vegans are constantly catered for and that’s a dietary preference, while gluten allergies are forgotten.

And for all you nay-sayers out there, repeat after me: a salad is not an appropriate gluten free option. It’s a collection of leaves, which usually has a dressing over it which contains gluten, or worse – croutons.

This also goes for the fruit bag and carrot bag at McDonald’s – they don’t count.

Chloe, who started the petition, clearly feels the same. She wrote: ‘In many European countries, both McDonald’s and Burger King have recognised the need for inclusive menu options and provide gluten-free alternatives in their restaurants. However, this isn’t the case in the UK. As someone who is affected by this issue personally, I believe it’s time for change.

Gluten free burgers aren’t hard to make – I ate this delicious burger here at The Wigmore in Oxford Circus (Picture: Alice Giddings)

‘Let us show McDonald’s UK that providing gluten-free choices is not just about expanding their customer base; it’s about inclusivity and acknowledging that everyone deserves to enjoy a meal at one of the world’s largest food chains without worry or discomfort.’

She told WalesOnline: ‘I just want the same menu as abroad and to be able to just go to the screen and order. 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.

‘At least give us answers – they’ve managed to do it in other countries.’

Others who signed the petitions shared their stories too.

Rebecca Fallon wrote: ‘My six-year-old daughter has recently been diagnosed with coeliac disease after a year of waiting and investigations. She used to love a Happy Meal treat with her nine-year-old brother but now we are avoiding McDonald’s as there is nothing gluten free she can eat without the risk of harm to her. It would be great if she could have the same opportunities and freedom to enjoy a treat tea like her brother and friends.’

Jan McLintock added: ‘Europe is so far ahead with this. Whenever we go to Europe my daughter wants to spend the whole time in McDonald’s because we cannot get buns in the UK.’

Hannah Semple also shared: ‘I’m coeliac and can’t stand going to McDonald’s with all my friends and only being able to get a drink or eat at home before I go anywhere.’

A spokesperson for McDonald’s told WalesOnline: ‘All restaurant crew are required to complete allergen awareness training, where they learn about legally recognised allergens and the importance of preparing orders that have been customised from our standard menu.

‘We also provide clear allergen labelling for all menu items at the point of ordering, whether that be in a restaurant, at the Drive Thru or when ordering online.’

Chloe’s McDonald’s petition has more than 6,000 signatures. You can add yours here.

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They’ve already done it in Europe, will they do it here?