GF Buddy helps the gluten-free community find restaurants that take preparation as seriously as the menu.
GF Buddy sprouted — yes, we went there — out of a deceptively simple idea: the gluten-free community is larger than it looks, and our collective purchasing power can make celiac-safe dining better for everyone — patrons and restaurant owners alike.
Here's how it started.
I walked into a bagel shop that had gluten-free bagels on the menu. Plain and everything. I was genuinely excited. Then I asked the person behind the counter how they'd prepare it.
“Well, we have to toast it — it comes frozen so that's not optional — and we only have one toaster. I can try to wrap it in foil if that helps?”
Sadness ensued.
I ordered the bagel anyway. It was lovely. And then later, I had a reaction.
There's no way to know for certain whether it came from the GF bagel toasted in a shared toaster, or the eggs cooked on a shared grill. That uncertainty is exactly the problem.
What struck me — what actually made me mad — is that so many restaurants have gluten-free options but their preparation standards haven't kept up. Gluten-free food typically costs $3–$5 more than its conventional equivalent, and then that premium product gets prepared right next to a pile of gluten. For a restaurant to be truly GF-friendly, preparation has to be just as important as what's on the menu.
Let's be honest: there is no 100% safe way to eat out. Cross-contamination will always be a concern for those of us who can't tolerate gluten. But the gluten-free dining experience can be dramatically better than it is right now — and that's what GF Buddy is here to do.
Patrick Patullo, Founder and Celiac
GF Buddy zeroes in on two areas where small changes make a big difference for the celiac and gluten-intolerant community.
Fries are naturally gluten-free. The problem is how they're made. Most restaurants use a shared fryer — and for good reason. Commercial fryers are expensive, dedicated oil adds real cost, and reserving equipment for a small subset of customers is a tough ask. We get it. But for the restaurants that have made that investment, we want to celebrate them loudly and encourage others to follow. Even a dedicated air fryer is a meaningful step in the right direction. GF Buddy's Fryer Finder makes it easy to locate restaurants with dedicated gluten-free fryers near you — because knowing before you go changes everything.
When I discovered that Joy makes gluten-free ice cream cones at a very reasonable cost, I couldn't understand why more ice cream shops weren't stocking them. Not for me — I've had plenty of cones in my gluten-eating days. But for a child diagnosed with celiac disease early in life, being handed a cup while every other kid gets a cone is a small moment that stings.
As we say around here: every kid deserves to eat ice cream out of a cone.
GF Buddy believes there ought to be a law — but short of legislation, we want to recognize and reward the ice cream shops that stock GF cones and train their staff to handle them safely.
Our campaign to put gluten-free ice cream cones wherever ice cream is sold is coming soon. We're mapping every ice cream shop that stocks GF cones and training their staff to handle them safely — so families living with celiac disease can walk in and order with confidence. Want to be part of it? Email us at [email protected]
Going gluten-free isn't a lifestyle trend for most of us — it's a medical necessity. And for the estimated 3 million Americans with celiac disease, plus the millions more with gluten sensitivity, dining out carries real stakes. GF Buddy exists to make the gluten-free dining experience safer, more visible, and impossible for the food service industry to ignore.
Use the app — it's free. Search for celiac-safe restaurants, leave gluten-free restaurant reviews, and flag anything in our database that's out of date. Your feedback makes the whole community smarter.
Patronize our restaurant partners. Our platform is supported by advertising and sponsorships from restaurants that have invested in GF preparation. When you see a sponsored listing, visit them, bring a friend, and tell them GF Buddy sent you.
Coming Soon: Join our mailing list. We're strictly opt-in — we will never send you unsolicited advertising. If you choose to receive offers from our partners, that helps keep GF Buddy free for everyone.
Coming Soon: Wear it proud. Going gluten-free isn't always easy, but you can look great doing it. Our merch line — T-shirts, hats, buttons, and stickers — is designed to be worn out in the world. Wearing your GF pride spreads awareness, starts conversations, and just might make you a friend or two along the way.