When I’m planning a family night out, I want a cozy, kid-friendly spot with gluten-free options, and Applebee’s just hits the spot. This casual dining favorite offers delicious, affordable meals without skimping on flavor or its warm, welcoming atmosphere. Plus, they’ve got a variety of gluten-free dishes, and their website makes it incredibly easy to identify which items are safe for a gluten-free diet.

As with any restaurants, there’s always a risk of gluten cross-contamination from shared kitchens including shared work spaces, utensils, preparation methods, or accidental exposure. If you have celiac disease or another health condition requiring a strict gluten-free diet, it’s best to exercise caution when dining at Applebee’s.

If you’re craving that inviting neighborhood hangout vibe, check out our complete guide to gluten-free dining at Applebee’s.

Top Gluten-Free Menu Items At Applebee’s

Applebee’s makes it easy to find gluten-free options with their Food Allergy Listing, where you can select allergens or ingredients you want to avoid. You’ll see an option to check off both gluten and wheat, but if you follow a gluten-free diet, be sure to select gluten. Simply checking wheat may not ensure the dish is gluten-free, as other gluten-containing grains could still be included.

Here’s a list of the gluten-free menu items at Applebee’s:

Appetizers

• Classic Bone-In Wings (without flavor or dipping sauce)
• Neighborhood Nachos (with beef or chicken)
• While Queso Dip and Chips

Soups

• Chicken Tortilla Soup

Steaks and Ribs

• 6 oz. USDA Select Sirloin
• 8 oz. USDA Select Sirloin
• 12 oz. Ribeye 
• Applebee’s Riblets Plate (no sauce)
• Applebee’s Riblets Platter (no sauce)
• Bourbon Street Steak
• Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs (no sauce)
• Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs Half Rack (no sauce)

Chicken

• Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp
• Fiesta Lime Chicken
• Grilled Chicken Breast 

Seafood

• Blackened Cajun Salmon

Bowls

• Southwest Chicken Bowl
• Tex-Mex Shrimp Bowl

Burger Substitutions 

• Chicken Breast Patty 
• Chicken Breast Patty Bourbon St. Burger 
• Chicken Breast Patty Quesadilla Burger 
• Impossible Burger Patty
• Impossible Burger Patty Bourbon St. Burger 
• Impossible Burger Patty Quesadilla Burger 
• Lettuce Cup

Burger Add Ons

• Bacon
• Burger Patty

Sides and Extras

• Baked Potato
• Classic Fries 
• Fries Basket 
• Garlicky Green Beans 
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Homestyle Cheesy Broccoli
• Loaded Baked Potato
• Loaded Garlic Mashed Potatoes 
• Signature Cole Slaw
• Steamed Broccoli  

Kids Sides

• Applesauce 
• Broccoli
• Fries 
• Kids Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Sliced Strawberries with Vanilla Yogurt 

Sauces and Flavors

• Applebee’s Riblets Plate Sauce Honey BBQ
• Applebee’s Riblets Platter Sauce Honey BBQ
• Boneless Wings Dipping Sauce Ranch
• Boneless Wings Dipping Sauce Blue Cheese 
• Boneless Wings Flavor Classic Hot Buffalo 
• Boneless Wings Flavor Extra Hot Buffalo 
• Boneless Wings Flavor Garlic Parmesan  
• Boneless Wings Flavor Honey BBQ
• Classic Bone-In Wings Dipping Sauce Bleu Cheese
• Classic Bone-In Wings Dipping Sauce Ranch
• Classic Bone-In Wings Dipping Sauce Classic Hot Buffalo
• Classic Bone-In Wings Dipping Sauce Extra Hot Buffalo 
• Classic Bone-In Wings Dipping Sauce Garlic Parmesan
• Classic Bone-In Wings Dipping Sauce Honey BBQ
• Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs Half Rack Sauce Honey BBQ
• Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs Honey BBQ
• The Classic Combo Dipping Sauce Bleu Cheese
• The Classic Combo Dipping Sauce Ranch
• The Classic Combo Dipping Sauce Classic Hot Buffalo
• The Classic Combo Dipping Sauce Extra Hot Buffalo
• The Classic Combo Dipping Sauce Garlic Parmesan
• The Classic Combo Dipping Sauce Honey BBQ 

Salad Dressings

• House Salad Dressing Bleu Cheese
• House Salad Dressing Caesar
• House Salad Dressing Dijon Honey Mustard
• House Salad Dressing Fat Free Italian 
• House Salad Dressing Honey French
• House Salad Dressing Lemon Vinaigrette
• House Salad Dressing Mexi-Ranch
• House Salad Dressing Oriental 
• House Salad Dressing Ranch
• House Salad Dressing Thousand Island 

Limited Time Offers

• 6 oz. USDA Select Sirloin
• Classic fries

Milkshakes

• Chocolate Shake
• Strawberry Shake
•  Vanilla Shake

Fruit Smoothies

• Mango Smoothie 
• Pina Colada Smoothie
• Strawberry Banana Smoothie 
• Strawberry Colada Smoothie Swirl
• Strawberry Mango Smoothie Swirl

Kids Sundaes and Shakes 

• Kids Sundae Hot Fudge
• Kids Sundae Strawberry
• Kids Shake Chocolate
• Kids Shake Strawberry
• Kids Shake Vanilla 

Kids Fruit Smoothies 

• Kids Fruit Smoothie Mango
• Kids Fruit Smoothie Pina Colada
• Kids Fruit Smoothie Strawberry Banana 

Applebee’s Allergen Statement

I appreciate Applebee’s dedication to providing clear allergen information, including details about gluten-containing ingredients on their menu. However, since they don’t use separate kitchens for preparing gluten-free or allergen-free dishes, they’ve issued the following statement:

“Because we have multiple sources of allergens in our shared cooking and prep areas, including common fryer oil, we are unable to guarantee that any menu item can be completely free of allergens…Due to the complexity of our ingredients, other allergenic foods may be present in a menu item, but not declared on this section or menu. The ingredients declared in this section are based on information we receive from our suppliers. 

However, there may be variations due to ingredient substitutions that are not reflected on this website. For our guests allergic to those foods not declared in this section, please call Applebee’s Guest Relations at 888-592-7753 for detailed ingredient information. We are happy to make any modifications or substitutions to your meal that you request, although these adjustments will impact the nutrition and allergen information detailed in this section.”

Special Requests 

To reduce the risk of cross-contamination, ask the Applebee’s kitchen staff to clean appliances, utensils, and preparation spaces before preparing your meal. You can also ask them to use fresh gloves when handling your gluten-free order. While there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to fully prevent cross-contamination, it’s always worth asking.

What To Avoid At Applebee’s

Avoid products with bread, breadcrumbs, or fried foods, which are often prepared in oil shared with gluten-containing items. Flavorings, sauces, and dressings usually have hidden sources of gluten, so stick to options on the gluten-free list. 

Other Gluten Free Menu Guides

We are on a mission to analyze all the popular restaurants near you for what is and isn’t gluten-free. If you have a restaurant you want us to visit, please let us know! You can contact us or send us a DM on Instagram. Here are other guides we have written so far:

• Wendy’s Gluten Free Menu Items
• McDonald’s Gluten Free Menu Items
• Panera Gluten Free Menu Items
• Chipotle Gluten Free Menu Items
• Olive Garden Gluten Free Menu Items
• Chick-fil-A Gluten Free Menu Items
• Taco Bell Gluten Free Menu Items
• Jersey Mike’s Gluten Free Menu Items
• Starbuck’s Gluten Free Menu Guide
• Buffalo Wild Wings Gluten Free Menu Items
• Domino’s Gluten Free Menu Items
• Dunkin’ Donuts Gluten Free Menu Items
• IHOP Gluten-Free Menu Items

Photos: Julianne Tripp Hillian