HONEST Tea and Smashburger Create Partnership

… Both are Sweet Deals!

I don’t know if you’ve ever visited, or dined at, Smashburger, but the location nearest to me does a very good job at making gluten-free (and dairy-free) dining a positive, and tasty, experience. Learning that HONEST® Tea has partnered with Smashburger will now make my meal even sweeter. I love HONEST® Tea!

HONEST® Tea has become very popular in recent years, so perhaps you’re already familiar with it, or at least know of the brand.

Very soon a selection of four HONEST® Tea flavors will be offered, depending on your location. These include:

Classic Green Tea – Organic , Fair Trade Certified™ green tea that is “just a tad sweet”® thanks to real organic cane sugar.
Just Iced Tea – Unsweetened, organic, Fair Trade Certified™ black tea sourced from tea gardens in the Assam region of India.
Lemon Herbal Tea – Caffeine-free tea blend of organic Indian tulsi (also known as Holy Basil), lemongrass, lemon peel and lemon myrtle combined to create a mildly spicy, yet calming taste, that’s “just a tad sweet.”
Raspberry Tea (Naturally Flavored) – Organic, Fair Trade Certified™ black tea sourced from the Korakundah tea gardens in southern India combined with natural raspberry flavors and organic cane sugar for that signature “just a tad sweet” taste.

What makes these HONEST® Teas a perfect beverage? These flavors are all certified organic, kosher, gluten-free, contain no GMO ingredients, and contain 50 calories or less per 8 fluid ounce serving. I particularly love that these are being offered because I am not a fan of carbonated (and high-sugar) beverages. Carbonation and my system don’t seem to agree – ever. For this reason, water is my go-to when I dine out. These tea choices will be a sweet, or unsweetened, deal. Yay!

And what about Smashburger being gluten-free, you ask? Smashburger has locations across the country and is growing rapidly, to the tune of 17 new restaurants in the last quarter of 2013. While Smashburger doesn’t strongly advertise that they cater to the gluten-free community, their allergen menu makes determining what’s safe for your lifestyle easier. At first glance, it looks as though there may not be many choices other than salad (which I hate being delegated to, simply to dine outside my own kitchen). The buns are included in the allergen menu for the burgers, and for that reason they are marked unsafe. From my personal experience though, when speaking directly with the manager (each and every time I visit), I’ve been able to safely dine on a juicy bun-less burger adorned with many natural veggie selections and safe condiments, along with their crispy and delicious fries, with no repercussions or ill affects (and I am highly intolerant and show symptoms quickly).

Since you and I need more than just a symptomless experience though, check with your location’s manager for their safe food practices. I always chat with the manager (before I place my order) to find out how and if my needs can be met during that particular visit. Knowing that anything can happen on any given day, double checking the status of safety is our responsibility, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. At my location, the grill is cleaned for my burger, they skip the usual finishing of the burger with a bit of melted butter on it for my order (to accommodate dairy-free needs), and there is a dedicated fryer for the gluten-free French fries.

I also make sure I dine during non-rush hour periods of the day. This way there is sufficient time for the staff to accommodate my needs, and I’m not delaying the other customers. I’ve found the manager to be honest in letting me know when he cannot assure no cross-contamination would occur, understanding that I’ll have to forgo eating there on that particular occasion. I greatly appreciate this, and the manager has learned that he can trust I’ll come visit again because I can trust his honesty. Building loyalty feels really good from my perspective because I feel more confident in becoming a regular guest, and restaurants look for loyal customers to build a strong business foundation. Word of mouth goes a long way!

Building loyalty and having your gluten-free, allergen-free needs met, though, are nothing if the food quality is not good, right? Right! At Smashburger, I’ve always found the food to be delicious and satisfying. And my husband always joins me because he loves their food as well … and he has no food restrictions. It’s just good food!

If you have a Smashburger near you, you might want to check it out and see if you can have another gluten-free restaurant added to your options list. And don’t forget to check for the newest varieties of HONEST® Tea at the beverage bar. I think you’ll find burgers and tea to be a sweet deal. I have!