Mel's Drive-In

Cross contamination due to shared surfaces and shared toasters. They label gluten free options on the menu, but they were not knowledgeable about the needed precautions to keep people safe.

I had a BLT labeled gluten free but was ill after our meal. When we asked the waitress after the fact, she said they do not separate preparations. We spoke with the manager, but he was not interested.

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

Two words: stay away.

My daughter is in a show and, per tradition, the cast went out afterwards to get some food and hang out at Mel's Drive-In on Geary. She texted me excitedly saying that the menu listed items that were GF and that the waiter said they were safe.

I told her to ask about the fries -- if they said they were safe, then she would know they were full of it. I knew that they cook their onion rings and nuggets in the same fryer. She said that that's what she ordered. I told her to send them back and called the restaurant.

The man I talked to seemed uncaring and even annoyed by the whole situation.

I looked up their online menu (via GrubHub) and the fries are indeed listed as gluten free, even though they aren't safe.

Lastly, I know this site isn't a traditional review site, but I will note that you're not missing anything by not eating there; the food isn't, and never has been, very good. If you go there, it's for the atmosphere.

Note: I rated it 1 star only because you can't give them 0 stars.

Celiac friendly?

No

They've got a big sign offering gluten free buckwheat pancakes

Not safe for celiacs! Tons of cross contamination. Cook everything on same surface and use only one prep area. Saw them mix the gf pancake batter with a spoon they took right out of the regular batter and then put back into reg batter after done.

NOT SAFE FOR SOMEONE WITH CELIAC DISEASE. They prep on the same surface.