An Open Letter to Domino's Pizza
Dearest Domino’s Pizza,
You have probably noticed by now that the Celiac community is less than enthused with your offering of “Gluten Free” pizza. Really, why call it gluten free when it ends up not being so? I understand the crust itself is indeed gluten free, but once your employees handle it, all that safety is out the window.
“Appropriate for those with mild gluten sensitivity. Not recommended for those with Celiac Disease.”
Seriously? What are you trying to accomplish?
In my opinion, if you’re going to offer a gluten free pizza, shouldn’t it remain just that—gluten free? I get that it’s not only Celiacs who eat gluten free. But the difference between us and bandwagon yuppies Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow, and the rest of the posse is that Celiacs medically require 100% gluten free food. Did you catch that?
The fact that you’re even marketing it as “Gluten Free” blows my mind. Would you market something peanut free but only recommend it to people with a “mild intolerance”? Probably not. Just like you wouldn’t sell a vegetarian pizza that’s drizzled in meat sauce.
Please understand I’m not out to get you. You’re just going about this the money-making wrong way. I mean, sheesh, why not just label the darn thing “low carb,” for crying out loud?
Your Twitter feed the other day sort of made me laugh. I had to, or my eyes would have exploded at the sheer ignorance of what you’re doing. Sure, go ahead and tweet celebs who credit going gluten free for their amazing bodies about your new “gluten free” pizza. Not a sham at all!
You do realize those people have personal chefs, fitness trainers, and their photos get a healthy dose of Photoshop, right?
What was the point of partnering with the NFCA? Credentials, perhaps? Neither of you recommend this pizza to people with Celiac. So what is it then? Are you secretly hoping gluten free will be the next big thing, and once you're overflowing with money, you’ll actually offer pizza that stays gluten free?
Or are you hoping Celiacs in desperate need of something new and quick to eat will see “GLUTEN FREE” and order without questioning? Sure, you can’t be sued because you’ve disclaimed the hell out of it on your website. But not everyone reads the fine print. Language barriers exist, and many people assume “gluten free” means just that.
Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder. “Gluten free” is NOT a trend—it is my life. It keeps me from being so ill I can’t function. Have you seen someone with Celiac Disease have a reaction?
Even if we all react differently, we face the same long-term consequences. Untreated or continuous accidental ingestion leads to serious conditions: osteoporosis, cancer, neurological disorders, infertility. And yes, it can be fatal.
Here’s something else you may not know: malnutrition is a symptom of Celiac Disease.
In the end, you’re attaching yourself to a “trend” that is not actually a trend. You are doing so at the expense of myself and others with Celiac Disease.
Shame on you.