Whether you need to eat in a rush, have screaming kids in the backseat, or you’re just having cravings, fast food serves its purpose. Now that vegan products have integrated into so many chains, it’s easy to pop by nearly any drive-thru window and find something to fill you up. Don’t hold up the line scanning the menu—rely on this guide to order with confidence at nine of your favorite fast-food restaurants in the US.
Del Taco
1 Del Taco
No changes needed; Del Taco has partnered with Beyond Meat to create a designated vegetarian and vegan menu. The new one-pound Epic Beyond Fresh Guacamole Burrito is vegan as-is, along with the Beyond Guacamole Taco. Both feature seasoned Beyond Beef crumbles that are accompanied by an assortment of fillings including cilantro-lime rice, fresh guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, and seasoned black beans. The Beyond Taco is also vegan if you order it without the cheese. The Crinkle Cut Fries, Hash Brown Sticks, and Veggie Bowl are also vegan-approved.
Learn more here
Aunty Anne’s
2 Auntie Anne’s Pretzels
Little-known vegan fast-food fact: Auntie Anne’s Original, Cinnamon Sugar, Sweet Almond, Jalapeño, and Raisin pretzels can be veganized by ordering them without the butter. This process takes an extra five minutes, but it’s worth it for a hot, soft mall pretzel.
Learn more here
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3 Burger King
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner—Burger King has the vegan options covered. In the morning, opt for the French Toast Sticks served warm with a side of maple syrup. During the day, quell your burger craving with the Impossible Whopper (ask for no mayo) and a side of fries, then polish off that sweets craving with Mott’s Applesauce. For a comprehensive look at BK’s menu, check out our Vegan Guide to Eating Plant-Based at Burger King.
Learn more here
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4 Carl’s Jr.
Get your Famous Star fix with the Beyond Famous Star burger made with Beyond Meat. Ask for no mayo or cheese and you’re set. Another handy hack: customization. Order a plain hamburger with a Beyond Meat patty, then add your choice of toppings: raw onions, ketchup, mustard, pickles, barbecue sauce, jalapeños, tomatoes, and lettuce are all fair game. Accompany the sandwich with a crispy fried potato side—the French fries, CrissCut fries, and hash rounds are all vegan. Unfortunately, this vegan-friendly option has been phased out in Southern and Midwestern locations, where the chain is known as Hardee’s.
Learn more here
Chipotle
5 Chipotle Mexican Grill
There are countless build-your-own options with Chipotle’s offerings! You can customize your own bowl, burrito, salad, or tacos with a plethora of vegan ingredients—including beans, lettuce, cilantro-lime rice, veggie fajitas, and fan-favorite Sofritas—the chain’s signature spicy braised tofu. When in doubt, rely on Chipotle, and keep our vegan guide to Chipotle handy when you open your mobile ordering app.
Learn more here
bareburger
6 bareburger
This chain has seriously stepped up its vegan game in recent years. What began as a partnership between Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods sprouted into a fully developed vegan menu—complete with vegan cheese, plant-based buns, non-dairy milkshakes, and vegan fish sandwiches. The menu features sandwiches and sides, nuggets, and even kids’ meals and carrot cake. The most challenging part of ordering at a Bareburger isn’t finding something you can eat, but deciding how much can fit in your stomach.
Learn more here
dog house
7 dog house
Best known for their hot dogs, this chain offers a selection of plant-based fast-food favorites. Choose between an Impossible Burger (hold the cheese and secret sauce), Beyond Brat, Impossible Slider (ask for no mayo and skip the cheese), and Sooo Veggie dog. When ordered on a French roll or lettuce-wrapped, these options are perfectly vegan-friendly. To keep things fair, the chain also carries chicken nuggets from Beyond and Impossible, available as a side or stuffed inside a sandwich. Dog Haus’ tots, sweet potato fries, and regular fries are also fair game.
Learn more here
Taco Bell
8 Taco Bell
Like its competitor Del Taco, this fast-food Mexican chain was early to jump on the vegan bandwagon. While the chain is currently testing vegan protein options in Alabama, Taco Bell does offer a fairly extensive vegetarian menu that is easily veganizable. Until the Bell’s vegan protein test launch goes nationwide, just use the magic words: “Fresco style.” This phrase replaces the cheese, ranch sauce, sour cream, and essentially any dairy-based condiment with fresh pico de gallo. Add potatoes to customize other vegetarian favorites including the Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme, Power Menu Bowl-Veggie, and simple Beans and Rice bowl. No matter what you order, grab a side of accidentally vegan Cinnamon Twists for dessert. When in doubt, read our guide to ordering vegan at Taco Bell.
Learn more here
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9 WhiteCastle
Harold and Kumar approve of White Castle’s vegan sliders made with the Impossible Burger. Order these bite-sized beauties plain or with a sweet Thai sauce, but hold the cheese. The chain started testing out vegan cheese options using GOOD PLANeT cheese in March 2020, but only in select markets for a trial period. Complete your order with a side of fries.
Learn more here
For ever more vegan fast food, read:
The Ultimate Guide to Vegan Fast Food
How to Order Vegan at Subway
This Entrepreneur Aims to Put Chick-Fil-A Out of Business
Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.
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