Crosslinked α‐ and β‐cyclodextrin gels (α‐CD‐E and β‐CD‐E) were used for the chromatographic resolution of racemic mandelic acid and its derivatives. β‐CD‐E bound L‐(+)‐isomers preferentially over D‐(−)‐isomers and resolved DL‐methyl mandelate to give a D‐(−)‐isomer of 100% optical purity in the first fraction. Mandelic acid, ethyl mandelate, and O‐methylated mandelic acid yielded resolutions of 65–83% in initial fractions. α‐CD‐E, on the contrary, bound D‐(−)‐isomers more strongly than L‐(+)‐isomers, resolving DL‐methyl mandelate to a smaller extent than β‐CD‐E. Binding of DL‐mandelic acid and DL‐methyl mandelate on β‐CD‐E was studied quantitatively by the equilibrium method. β‐CD‐E has a similar binding capacity to starch with 1:1 stoichiometry but bound much more strongly than starch. β‐CD‐E has the same mode of selectivity as starch for the asymmetric binding of the mandelic acid derivatives, but α‐CD‐E has a reverse selectivity to β‐CD‐E and starch.