What to Say at the Table
The word "gluten-free" signals a preference. The word "celiac" signals a disease.
Most celiac travelers know what to avoid. Far fewer know what to say — and the sentence they choose determines whether the kitchen treats them as a medical case or a dietary one. These are the scripts, questions, and country-specific phrases that make the difference.
Before You Sit Down
The best time to assess a restaurant is before you commit to a table. A brief conversation at the door takes thirty seconds and saves a wasted meal.
“I have celiac disease — not a preference, a medical condition. Before we sit down, can you tell me whether your kitchen has a dedicated fryer, and whether you’re able to prepare dishes on a separate surface away from gluten?”
If the answer is confident and specific, sit down. If it’s vague, involves checking with someone, or defaults to “we have gluten-free options on the menu” — that’s your information.
When the Server Arrives
Lead with the medical framing, not the dietary one. “I’m gluten-free” reads as preference. “I have celiac disease” reads as medical. The distinction matters to how the message travels from server to kitchen.
“Before we order — I have celiac disease, which means even small amounts of gluten cause a serious reaction. It’s not a preference. Can you help me identify what’s safe, and confirm with the kitchen whether there’s a dedicated fryer and a separate prep area?”
If the server is uncertain, ask to speak with the manager or chef directly. Any kitchen experienced with celiac guests will accommodate this without hesitation.
The word “gluten-free” signals a preference. The word “celiac” signals a disease.
The Two Questions That Matter Most
Whatever else is discussed, these two need a clear answer before you order. A confident yes to both, without hesitation, means the kitchen has had this conversation before.
“Do you have a dedicated fryer — one used only for gluten-free items, and never for anything breaded or battered?”
“Are gluten-free dishes prepared on a separate surface, with separate utensils, away from gluten-containing ingredients?”
A pause, a qualifier, or a trip to check with the chef tells you the kitchen may not have the protocols in place — even if the menu has a gluten-free section.
Country-Specific Language
In countries where English is widely spoken — the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Portugal — the scripts above work without modification. Everywhere else, the local medical term changes how the request is received. A generic gluten-free request can be waved through. The correct medical terminology tends to stop a kitchen and make it think.
Every country below has a word for celiac disease and a word for gluten intolerance, and staff hear the second one far more often. Hearing intolerance, a kitchen removes what’s visible. Hearing disease, it changes how it cooks. The sentence that does the most work isn’t the name of the condition — it’s the one that rules the other out.
Italy
Spain
France
Portugal
Greece
Germany
Netherlands
Croatia
Our translation cards say all of this in writing, in the local language, so you arrive knowing what to say.