Today Domino’s Pizza announced their Gluten Free Pizza. I hear its only available as a small pizza, and costs about 12 dollars. They worked with a National Celiac organization to develop the crust, yet neither Domino’s or the org. can fully recommend that those with Celiac eat the pizza. Why? Well, it’s a Pizza restaurant. There is dough and flour flying all over the place. The likelihood that your pizza could become contaminated is high. There is also a good chance that if you are not Celiac, or do not have a high sensitivity to gluten, that you’d be fine. For that reason, and for those people, I am OK with Domino’s making this offer available. For the rest of us, it’s just simply not something worth trying. I commend Domino’s for doing their best to be frank and honest about it. I feel Domino’s is protecting themselves from issues, protecting those with real Gluten issues with their disclaimer, and offering something for those who can actually stomach a little bit of Gluten.

Can you say that for everywhere you’ve eaten? You know, the restaurant your friends invited you to because it has a gluten free item or two? Typically the restaurant is for those who can digest gluten, but they’ve put an asterisk next to a few items they can prepare special for us. Do you trust them? Do they come right out and put a disclaimer on their menu – or on their marketing? We’re living in a new world of Gluten allergies, and their aren’t the strongest regulations or restrictions on what restaurants must disclose. Does a small GF next to the steak and potatoes mean that they used a clean pan – or rinsed their utensils when handling your meal?

I make many dumb choices in life. I do try to learn from the directions I take, but living with Celiac is a constant challenge to make the right choices. Many restaurants I’ve reviewed are “eat at your own risk” and definitely have the chance for cross contamination. I leave my health up to me, and when I fail – most of the time – I have me to blame.

One major area I see that Domino’s could improve on is the oven. The pizzas go down the exact same conveyor oven that your normal pizza does. Perhaps they could add a small designated oven. Or they could come up with a separate cook surface for the gluten free pizzas. At Veraci’s in Ballard they place their gluten free pizza on a raised platform as to not touch the oven where the gluten pizzas touch.

I understand that many will think I am off base for supporting this, as many it only will confuse a lot of people. I hear ya, and especially feel those new to their diagnosis will be at risk.

What do you think – am I crazy?