DALLAS – With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recent definition of what constitutes “gluten-free” foods, numerous restaurant chains are instituting their own policies to ensure gluten-free menu items stay gluten-free from prep to plate, Nation’s Restaurant News reports.

Currently, some restaurateurs estimate only 1% to 3% of customers ask for gluten-free dishes. However, these operators also stress that following good food-safety procedures for such foods is key to meeting the growing demand.

“There’s no question that when you’re in a busy period and have to go away from the main line and make a gluten-free pizza, it’s a challenge,” said Bill Hancox, vice president of Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar. “But we didn’t want to see it as a problem, we wanted to embrace it and do what we could to make those customers comfortable.” Hancox conducts unannounced audits to ensure his cooks are properly handling gluten-free orders to avoid cross-contamination.

Costa Vida cooks its gluten-free corn tortillas first to avoid mixing with flour tortillas. Sean Collins, CEO of Costa Vida, said making the extra effort is worth it as word spreads about the Mexican chain’s extensive gluten-free menu, with gluten-free sales accounting for 5% to 10% of all orders.