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    Here's Everything Vegans Can Order At Fast Food And Major Chain Restaurants In 2023

    A handy guide of vegan options at restaurants across the United States.

    Whitney Jefferson
    by Whitney Jefferson

    BuzzFeed Staff

    an impossible slider and three tacos
    Alice Yoo / BuzzFeed

    Vegan options are everywhere you look: you can buy Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers in your grocery store, order a drink with a milk alternative in your local coffee shop, and depending on where you live, you can even order vegan food in a fast food joint. But which chains are actually accommodating to the vegan lifestyle? I decided to find out.

    I reached out to the most popular American fast food chains to learn about their vegan offerings, the process by which they make their foods, and gave them all a rating (out of 10) below. Please note that everything here is about the food itself, and does not consider any health benefits or environmental impacts of each company. Looking for a specific restaurant? Ctrl + F to find them quickly!

    Burger King

    Burger King / Via bk.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Impossible Whopper (without creamy mayo or cheese)
    • Garden salad (without cheese and with non-dairy dressing)
    • Apple Pie
    • French Fries
    • Hashbrowns

    🌱 Other things to know: In August of 2022, Burger King began testing the Original Chik’n Sandwich in Cincinnati, Ohio — yet another collaboration with Impossible Foods. Fingers crossed the good people of Ohio are ordering this often and it will soon release nationwide! 

    Wondering about their vegan-ish french toast sticks? Burger King told BuzzFeed that they "do not contain any animal-derived ingredients, but are prepared using equipment that is shared with other products that could contain dairy, meat, or fish."

    A couple of notes about the Impossible Whopper: make sure to order it without the cheese or creamy mayonnaise and ask for it to be made in a separate area. The fine print on BK's website states, "for guests looking for a meat-free option, a non-broiler method of preparation is available upon request." So don't forget that!

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    McDonald's

    Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • McPlant Burger
    • Garden Salad (no cheese)

    🌱 Other things to know: In 2020, McDonalds stopped testing the P.L.T. — which stands for "Plant. Lettuce. Tomato." and uses Beyond Meat patties — nationwide. But in November of 2021, the chain started testing their McPlant burger at select restaurants throughout the USA. As of 2022, the McPlant is being tested in both Dallas and San Francisco. However, Mickey D's website states that their veggie burgers are "cooked on the same grill as other burgers, meat-based products and eggs." 

    Don't shoot the messenger, but in the United States, McDonald's french fries are NOT considered to be vegan. They're made with a "natural beef flavor" aka milk and wheat derivatives. As for everything else on the menu, McDonalds told BuzzFeed that that they will make you a meat-free, dairy-free salad upon request.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱

    Starbucks

    Starbucks

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Impossible Breakfast Sandwich
    • Chickpea Bites & Avocado Protein Box
    • Hearty Blueberry Oatmeal
    • Plain Bagel
    • Sprouted Grain Bagel
    • Cinnamon Raisin Bagel
    • Hot Brewed Coffee
    • Caffe Americano
    • Iced Coffee
    • Cold Brew
    • Green Drink
    • Violet Drink
    • Pink Drink
    • Vanilla, Caramel, and Hazelnut syrups
    • Unflavored lattes and espresso beverages made with soy, almond, or coconut milk

    🌱 Other things to know: Starbucks has a guide to customizing beverages, just in case you're overwhelmed by all of the options. They've also recently added an Impossible Breakfast Sandwich and Chickpea bites that vegans can enjoy, and all of the Starbucks are certified vegan, too. In 2022, Starbucks announced that they are getting rid of the upcharge for plant-based milks in the UK. (Can the US be next?) And in the fall, they announced a brand-new vegan drink to their fall menu: the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato. 

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Dunkin'

    a sausage egg and cheese on an english muffin
    Dunkin Donuts

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Beyond Sausage Breakfast Sandwich on an English Muffin (without egg and cheese)
    • Bagels – Cinnamon Raisin, Plain, Everything, Sesame
    • English Muffin
    • Hash Browns
    • Oatmeal
    • Avocado Toast
    • Hashbrowns
    • Dunkin’ Energy Punch
    • Dunkin' Refreshers
    • Mocha Swirl
    • Black Coffee, Coffee, Lattes, Matcha, Chai Late, Macchiato, Espresso, Cold Brew, and Americano with almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk
    • Vanilla, Hazelnut, Toasted Almond, Blueberry, Raspberry, Coconut Flavor Shots
    • Coolatta® Frozen Beverages in Strawberry and Blue Raspberry

    🌱 Other things to know: Dunkin's Beyond Sausage sandwich expanded to all of their stories in 2019, in 2020 they added an avocado toast that vegans seem to love, and in April of 2021 they announced they'll be launching coconut milk nationwide with Dunkin’ Coconut Refreshers and the new Coconutmilk Iced Latte.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 🌱🌱🌱

    Panda Express

    bowl of rice and orange chicken
    Panda Express

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:

    • Beyond The Original Orange Chicken
    • Chow Mein
    • Eggplant Tofu
    • Super Greens
    • Veggie Spring Rolls
    • Steamed Brown Rice
    • Steamed White Rice

    🌱 Other things to know: After finding success testing a Beyond Meat chicken nugget Southern California and New York City in 2021, as of today — September 7, 2022 — Panda Express now offers the Beyond The Original Orange Chicken nationwide. I've been able to try this delicious offering and am so pleased that it'll be available to eat across the country.

    And for what it's worth, the chain began testing a plant-based version of General Tso’s Chicken using cauliflower in certain regions in 2019. A representative for Panda Express wanted to stress the following in regards to veganizing items: "all items at Panda are cooked and prepped in the same kitchen with shared facilities and equipment, for those with any allergies or dietary preferences when it comes to eating vegan or vegetarian."

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Taco Bell

    a crunchwrap supreme with beans, lettuce, and tomato in it
    Taco Bell / Via tacobell.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Cinnamon Twists
    • Hash Brown
    • Guacamole
    • Sauce packets (Mild, Hot, Fire, Diablo, Breakfast Salsa)

    🌱 Ingredients that are vegan: Black Beans, Chalupa Shell, Gordita Flatbread, Hash Brown, Jalapeno Peppers, Lettuce, Nacho, Chips, Onions, Potato Bites, Premium Guacamole, Red Strips, Seasoned Refried, Beans, Seasoned Rice, Taco Shell, Tomatoes, Tortillas

    🌱 Other things to know: Known as a vegan safe haven for decades, most Taco Bell items can be made vegan with a few substitutions. 

    However, in 2020 — as if we didn't have enough going on — they removed potatoes and a bunch of other vegetarian options from their menu (as well as removing the "How To Eat Vegan At Taco Bell" guide from their website). After an uproar from their veggie-minded customers, the company's CEO announced in January that they'd be partnering with Beyond Meat and bringing back potatoes some time in the future. In August of 2022, Taco Bell began testing a new plant-based meat in all 50 locations in Birmingham, Alabama. Let's hope it works out!

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Mellow Mushroom

    Two vegan pizzas and vegan pretzels with mustard
    Mellow Mushroom / mellowmushroom.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:

    • Vegan Veg Out and Vegan Cheese Pizzas
    • Vegan Greek and Enlightened Spinach Salads
    • Vegan Avocado Hoagie
    • Vegan Avocado Hoagie
    • Vegan Pretzels made with Mellow Appalachian Spring Water Dough
    • Mellow Red Sauce and Classic Yellow Mustard

    🌱 Other things to know: Mellow Mushroom has always been a welcoming space to vegetarians, but starting in January of 2023, the popular chain will add a whole new slew of vegan options to their menu — including a Follow Your Heart cheese new Build Your Own Vegan Pizza.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Chipotle

    a bowl with plant-based chorizo and vegetables
    Chipotle

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Plant-Powered Bowl
    • Vegan Bowl
    • Veggie Full Bowl
    • Plant-Based Chorizo
    • Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice
    • Pinto Beans
    • Black Beans
    • Sofritas
    • White Corn
    • White Rice

    🌱 Other things to know: Chipotle launched their first vegan protein in the form of sofritas in 2014, and they launched a plant-based chorizo at the end of 2021. 

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱

    KFC

    a bucket of chicken that says "it's still finger lickin' good"
    KFC

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Beyond Chicken
    • Sweet Kernel Corn
    • Corn on the Cob
    • Green Beans

    🌱 Other things to know:  KFC was one of the first fast food chains to hop on the plant-based wagon in 2019 when they announced the Beyond Chicken Sandwich (seen above). However, it quietly disappeared from KFC's menu since and a KFC spokesperson told BuzzFeed, "KFC's Beyond Fried Chicken was a limited-time offer, we frequently test menu items as part of the brand’s food innovation strategy." And in January of 2022, a "Kentucky-fried miracle" occurred when KFC announced that the Beyond Chicken would return and this time be available nationwide.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    QDOBA

    the "Impossible Bowl" in a paper bowl with peppers, corn, onions, rice, and impossible meat
    Courtesy QDOBA

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:

    • Loaded Tortilla Soup
    • Impossible Taco Salad
    • Impossible Fajita Bowl or Burrito
    • Impossible Bowl or Burrito
    • Impossible Taco
    • Nachos No Queso
    • Black Beans
    • Pinto Beans
    • Cilantro Lime Rice
    • Fajita Vegetables
    • Corn Tortilla Chips, Strips and Taco Shell
    • Soft Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas
    • Soft White Corn Tortillas
    • Flour Taco Shell
    • Black Bean and Corn Salsa
    • Corn and Pepper Blend
    • Fiery Habenero
    • Salsa Verde
    • Salsa Roja
    • Roasted Chile Corn Salsa
    • Mango Salsa
    • Pico de Gallo
    • Ranchera Sauce
    • Potatoes

    🌱 Other things to know: QDOBA has fully incorporated vegan options into their menu, with four mains featuring Impossible meat, an option to create your own custom bowl, and a tortilla soup with a vegan-friendly broth. And a pro-tip: when ordering your nachos without cheese, you can add guacamole for no extra charge.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 🌱

    Peet's Coffee

    Peet's Coffee

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:

    • Hazelnut Oat Latte (hot or iced)
    • Vanilla Almond Latte (iced)
    • Cold Brew with Vanilla Oat Foam
    • Hazelnut Cold Brew Oat Latte
    • Mediterranean Flatbread
    • Everything Plant-Based Sandwich

    🌱 Other things to know: In March of 2022, Peet's debuted a new menu for Spring with a variety of plant-based offerings. The Mediterranean Flatbread features JUST Egg and Violife smoked provolone cheese, while the Everything Plant-Based sandwich offers up JUST Egg, Violife cheese, and Beyond Breakfast Sausage. Score!

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Pizza Hut

    Pizza Hut

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Thin N’ Crispy, Hand Tossed, and Original Pan® dough
    • Classic Marinara sauce
    • Medium Buffalo sauce
    • Cinnamon Sticks (no icing)
    • Jalapeno Peppers
    • Banana Peppers
    • Diced Tomatoes
    • Green Peppers
    • Black Olives
    • Mushrooms
    • Pineapple
    • Spinach
    • Onions

    🌱 Other things to know: Pizza Hut shared the following warning with BuzzFeed: "All ingredients are handled by Pizza Hut’s employees who prepare or serve its delicious meat-based pizzas and pastas, which may not be acceptable for customers with certain types of vegetarian or vegan diets." In 2019, Pizza Hut launched a limited edition "Garden Specialty Pizza" which included plant-based Italian sausage and in 2020 they offered Beyond Meat Pan Pizzas for a limited time. In August of 2021, Pizza Hut announced the tat Beyond Pepperoni would be available as a test in nearly 70 locations across five U.S. markets for a limited time.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Pret A Manger

    a wrap with meatballs, onions, and peppers inside
    Courtesy Meatless Farm

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Meatless Meatball Wrap
    • Falafel & Hummus Wrap
    • Mediterranean Mezze Salad
    • Creamy Oat M*lk Porridge
    • Moroccan Lentil Soup
    • Pret’s Acai Bowl
    • Pret’s Sunshine Bowl 

    🌱 Other things to know: Pret's Meatless Meatball Wrap with Meatless Farms launched in January of 2022, but it's not their first foray into vegan foods. Their falafel and hummus wrap has been a friend to vegetarians for a long time, and their recent introduction of porridge made with oat milk made its dairy-free customers quite pleased.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Carl's Jr.

    a beyond meat burger with the carl's jr. logo
    Carl's Jr.

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Beyond Famous Star (no mayonnaise, no cheese)
    •  Western Bacon Cheeseburger (made with a Beyond patty, no cheese, no onion rings)
    •  Original Thickburger (made with Beyond patty, no mayonnaise)
    •  Guacamole Bacon Burger (made with a Beyond patty, no bacon, no Santa Fe
    sauce)
    •  Natural Cut Fries
    •  Criss-Cut Fries
    •  Fried Zucchini

    🌱 Other things to know: On Earth Day of 2021, a Los Angeles location of Carl's Jr. went 100% meat-free, which is pretty cool! A representative for Carl's Jr. told BuzzFeed, "Please note that these are all prepared in the same kitchen, surfaces and fryers as our regular products." Check with your local establishment to see if you can request a separate, non-shared fryer.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Papa John's

    sauce being spread onto pizza dough
    Papa John's / Via papajohns.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Breadsticks (plain)
    • Pizza dough
    • Garlic sauce
    • Buffalo sauce
    • BBQ sauce
    • Red sauce

    🌱 Other things to know: Papa John's has a guide to ordering vegan pizza on their website, which suggests ordering their regular pizza dough with original or BBQ sauces, and then adding a bunch of vegetables to it. Just make sure to ask for your order with no cheese!

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Jamba Juice

    a breakfast sandwich from above
    Jamba / Via jamba.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Impossible Handwich (no cheese)
    • The Go Getter smoothie
    • Apple 'n Greens smoothie
    • Vanilla Blue Sky smoothie
    • Greens 'n Ginger smoothie
    • Mega Mango smoothie
    • Peach Perfection smoothie
    • Pomegranate Paradise smoothie
    • Smooth Talkin' Mango smoothie
    • Strawberry Whirl smoothie

    🌱 Other things to know: In April of 2021, Jamba added a brand new offering to all of their locations in the US. The "Impossible Handwich" is a breakfast sandwich that comes on a sprouted grain bun and with cheese, which you'll have to ask  not to be included. They do have a section of their website that features all the plant-based smoothies, though! And in January of 2022, the company announced a new plant-based smoothie called The Go Getter which consists of matcha green tea, a vegetable and fruit juice blend, mangos, kale, and orange juice.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Del Taco

    Del Taco / Via deltaco.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:

    • Epic Beyond Original Mex Burrito
    • Beyond Avocado Taco
    • Avocado Veggie Bowl
    • Hashbrown Sticks
    • Crinkle Cut Fries

    Other things to know: The beauty of being vegan or vegetarian at Del Taco is that their entire menu is made-to-order *and* you can substitute Beyond Meat protein into any item on their menu. (Just remember to ask for it without dairy products to make it vegan). Also, Del Taco has a separate vegetarian and vegan menu on their website, which is truly handy!

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 🌱

    Johnny Rockets

    one hand holding a burger with an impossible flag on it and another hand holds a pink milkshake
    Johnny Rockets

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:

    • Gardein Black Bean Burger

    • Impossible Burger (select locations)

    • Vegan milkshake (select locations)

    • French fries

    • Sweet potato fries

    • Tots

    • Garden salad

    • Side salad

    🌱 Other things to know: Could this be more exciting? Johnny Rockets is now offering brand new vegan options at 80 of its locations! If you're lucky enough to live near one of the participating restaurants, you'll be able to order an Impossible burger with Daiya cheese and a milkshake made with Craig's ice cream and topped with vegan whipped cream. Here's hoping they expand these options nationwide!

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Fatburger

    a burger surrounded by fries and wrapped in a fatburger wrapper
    Fatburger

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Impossible Burger
    • Fat fries
    • Skinny fries
    • Sweet Potato fries

    🌱 Other things to know: Fatburger was a leading brand in offering meatless burger options. They first added the Impossible Burger to their menu and in 2019 it expanded to all restaurants nationwide. Now, they've even gone so far as to offer Daiya cheese to go along with it! 

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Subway

    beyond meatballs in a subway sandwich
    Subway

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Beyond Meatball Marinara sub
    • Veggie patty (not available at all locations)
    • Veggie Delite sub (without cheese)
    • 9-grain Wheat bread
    • Italian Bread
    • Signature Wrap
    • Subway Vinaigrette
    • Sweet Onion Sauce
    • Red Wine Vinegar
    • Olive Oil Blend

    🌱  Ingredients that are vegan: Banana Peppers, Sweet Peppers, Green Peppers, Black Olives, Red Onions, Cucumbers, Guacamole, Jalapeños, Tomatoes, Avocado, Spinach, Lettuce, Pickles, Carrots, Mustard

    🌱 Other things to know: Ask any vegetarian, and they'll tell you that Subway is pretty much a godsend. At the very least, they've been happily serving up subs filled with all of their vegetable toppings for as long as I can remember. At some locations you can find the Beyond Meatball Marinara sub — their first faux-meat, plant-based offering — and Subway tells us that we can expect an "all-new, certified vegan Veggie Patty arriving in restaurants later this summer, at participating locations only.” I'll be keeping an eye out for that one!

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Blaze Pizza

    Melissa Barnes / Blaze Pizza

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Vegan Life Mode Pizza

    🌱 Other things to know: Blaze released a line of "Life Mode" pizzas in 2019, which include a vegetarian pizza and a vegan pizza (seen above), and two new ingredients: vegan cheese and spicy vegan chorizo. They also launched a vegan cheesy bread soon after, but it's no longer listed on their menu.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱

    White Castle

    an impossible slider
    White Castle / Via whitecastle.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • The Impossible Slider
    • Nashville-Inspired Hot Sauce
    • Smokey BBQ Sauce
    • Sweet Chili Sauce
    • Yellow Mustard
    • Hot Sauce
    • Mild Salsa
    • Ketchup
    • Onions
    • Pickles

    🌱 Other things to know: In 2018, White Castle debuted the Impossible Slider for $1.99. White Castle's buns became vegan when they removed l-cystine back in 2015. Beyond the Impossible Slider, there's not a lot for you at White Castle. But, they have a lot of vegan sauces. 

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱

    CAVA

    Courtesy CAVA

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Emma’s Spicy Snack
    • Emma’s Fire Bowl (no feta)
    • Pita and Mini Pita
    • Roasted Eggplant
    • Hummus
    • Harissa
    • Red Pepper Hummus
    • Falafel
    • Roasted Vegetables
    • Roasted White Sweet Potato
    • Tomato + Cucumber Salad
    • Tomato + Onion Salad
    • Fire-Roasted Corn
    • Kalamata Olives
    • Pita Crisps

    🌱 Other things to know: CAVA has always been a vegan-friendly eatery (and one that I've gone to many, many times for lunch myself). While they've always had solid vegan options to fill up your bowl with (some of my favorites being their pickled onions, delicious grains, falafel and hummus), they recently launched two new items that are vegan-friendly. In April of 2022, CAVA announced that they'd partnered with a famous fan of the restaurants — the Emma Chamberlain — to launch Emma's Spicy Snack and Emma’s Fire Bowl. To make Emma's bowl entirely vegan, ask for it with no feta cheese.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Chick-Fil-A

    waffle fries in a chick-fil-a box
    Chick-Fil-A

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Hash Browns• Waffle Potato Fries
    • Sunflower Multigrain Bagel
    • Spicy Southwest Salad (without cheese and chicken)
    • Grilled Market Salad (without blue cheese and chicken)
    • Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap (without the chicken)
    • Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Light Italian Dressing
    • Chili Lime Vinaigrette
    • Polynesian Sauce
    • Fruit Cup

    🌱 Other things to know: Surprisingly, a bunch of Chick-Fil-A's regular menu items can be modified to be vegan. For example, the Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap comes on a vegan flaxseed flatbread with red cabbage and carrots and is basically a veggie wrap without the chicken. Plus, they have fries and hash browns that are vegan-approved. They also have a dedicated portion of their website to explaining their vegan options!

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Domino's Pizza

    Jetcityimage / Getty Images

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Red sauce
    • Thin crust
    • Gluten-free crust
    • Roasted Red Peppers
    • Jalapeno Peppers
    • Banana Peppers
    • Diced Tomatoes
    • Green Peppers
    • Black Olives
    • Mushrooms
    • Pineapple
    • Spinach
    • Onions

    🌱 Other things to know: The chain is an excellent choice for vegetarians, but vegans will need to order their pizzas on either the thin or gluten-free crust and with the red sauce. Luckily, there are a lot of veggie toppings to choose from! They also offer a crust option that's vegan and gluten-free.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Hardee's

    a photo of the former beyond meat options at Hardee's
    Hardee's

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Side Salad (ask for no cheese)
    • Soft drinks

    🌱 Other things to know: The addition of the Beyond Breakfast Sausage Biscuit to the menu made Hardee's the first U.S. quick service restaurant to offer plant-based options at breakfast, lunch and dinner — but in 2021, they do not offer any Beyond Meat options any more. In fact, you'll be hard-pressed to eat anything at all while you're at Hardee's now. :(

    Vegan rating: 🌱

    Panera

    Panera / Via panerabread.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Baja Grain Bowl (without greek yogurt and cheese)
    • Mediterranean Grain Bowl (without greek yogurt and cheese)

    🌱 Other things to know: Panera's line of warm grain bowls include plant-based protein sources like quinoa, black beans and hummus — you just need to order them without yogurt and cheese.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱

    Wendy's

    Wendy's / Via menu.wendys.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Plain Baked Potato with Chives (no butter, cheese, and sour cream)
    • Garden Side Salad (dressing on the side, no croutons)
    • Mixed Berry Fruit Cup
    • Apple Slices

    🌱 Other things to know: There are not a lot of vegan options at Wendy's, unfortunately. The french fries seem vegan as they're cooked in vegetable oil, but their website clearly states that they're "cooked in the same oil as menu items that contain wheat, milk, and fish." I've read online that people have apparently been able to order the Asian Cashew Chicken Salad without the chicken, but I would probably ask some questions before ordering. Their croutons are made with non-vegan, natural butter flavoring.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱

    Auntie Anne's

    Auntie Anne's

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Original Pretzels and Nuggets
    • Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels and Nuggets
    • Sweet Almond Pretzel
    • Raisin Pretzel
    • Jalapeno Pretzel

     🌱 Other things to know: For the pretzels to be 100% vegan and dairy-free, ask for them to be handled without butter. The the pretzel mix itself does not contain dairy, but there is a chance for cross-contamination with the tongs used to serve the pretzels. Per a rep for Auntie Anne's, "customers can ask for the pretzel to be made without butter or to be made with vegan-friendly butter spray."

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Little Caesars

    Little Caesars

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Red sauce
    • Regular crust
    • Veggie toppings

    🌱 Other things to know: Little Caesars began testing a vegan pizza called the Impossible Supreme Pizza in three markets in 2019. I would love to know if the testing was a success... In July 2021, the brand announced they were adding "Planteroni", a vegan pepperoni offering made by Field Roast.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Baskin-Robbins

    close-up on ice creams
    Baskin-Robbins

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Non-Dairy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
    • Non-Dairy Chocolate Extreme
    • Vegan Coffee Caramel Chunk
    • Mangonada

    🌱 Other things to know: Both the Non-Dairy Chocolate Extreme and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavors are made with a base blend of coconut oil and almond butter. In May of 2021, Baskin Robbins is offering a new flavor made with oat milk nationwide!

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱🌱🌱

    Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs

    three hot dogs
    Nathan's Hot Dogs / Via nathans-famous.myshopify.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Meatless Farm Hot Dogs

    🌱 Other things to know: Nathan's, the premier hot dog restaurant on Coney Island and beyond, surprised us this year when they announced a meatless hot dog that would be added to their menu. You can even buy them in six-packs online, but note that their hot dog buns aren't actually vegan.

    Vegan rating: 🌱🌱

    Sonic Drive-In

    Sonic Drive In / Via sonicdrivein.com

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Apple Slices
    • Frito's Corn Chips

    🌱 Other things to know: A quick online search suggests that Sonic's fries and tater tots are vegan, but Sonic could not confirm that. They provided BuzzFeed with an official statement about their vegan options: "SONIC Drive-In is all about choice, and guests can customize items on the menu for their dietary needs. Many vegetarian guests enjoy customized breakfast burritos for a variety of meal occasions since SONIC’s full menu is available all day, or a grilled cheese with additional produce if they eat eggs or dairy. No menu items have been certified as vegetarian or vegan." That said, it seems like many of Sonic's drinks could also be vegan.

    Vegan rating: 🌱

    Dairy Queen

    dairy queen logo
    Dairy Queen

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Nothing

    🌱 Other things to know: A representative for Dairy Queen confirmed to BuzzFeed that "DQ does not currently have any menu items that are plant based nor does it have any plant-based additions slated for this year or 2020." They did not respond to request for updates in 2021.

    Vegan rating: 🌱

    Long John Silvers

    french fries in a bowl
    Long John Silvers

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Cut corn
    • French fries

    🌱 Other things to know: Obviously, Long John Silver's is a seafood-themed restaurant and doesn't offer much in the way of vegan options. They did send over these photos of their two vegan options, though!

    Vegan rating: 🌱

    Arby's

    Arby's

    🌱 Vegan items on the menu:
    • Apple slices (without the strawberry yogurt)
    • Side-salad (without cheese)

    🌱 Other things to know: Well, it shouldn't come as a huge surprise that a chain whose tag line is "Arbys: we have the meats!" doesn't have a lot for vegans.

    Vegan rating: 🌱

    Do you have a go-to vegan meal that we missed? Let us know in the comments!

    This post has been updated with the most recent information available on September 7, 2022.