Learn how to find the best vegan fast food on the road with The Ultimate Guide for Vegan Fast Food, which includes a variety of popular mainstream fast food, fast casual, and quick service chain restaurants offering vegan fast food options.

Plant-based eating on the road has never been easier! The proof is in the increasing range of vegan options now available at an increasing array of fast food, quick service, and fast casual restaurants across the country. You can bet that these huge, national chains would not be investing in options like veggie-burgers and plant-based bowls if hoards of people weren’t ordering them. In celebration of these new vegan options at fast food restaurants, we put together this Ultimate Guide for Vegan Fast Food at The Plant-Powered Dietitian, which includes a variety of popular mainstream fast food, fast casual, and quick service chain restaurants offering vegan fast food options.

You’ll find plenty of vegan meal options to order, including the best fast food breakfast, high protein fast food fare, and low sodium fast food choices in our guide.

You’ll be able to find more healthy bowl meals at restaurants today. Learn how to make it at home quickly with this recipe for Black Beans and Rice Vegan Bowl.

The global demand for plant-based foods is rising. Although the majority of the U.S. population may be omnivorous, in the past few years there has been a 600% increase in people identifying as vegans. A report from the research firm GlobalData found that only 1% of US consumers claimed to be vegan in 2014, compared to 6% in 2017.

And according to a poll conducted by the Vegan Society, the number of people identifying as vegans in the U.K. has increased by 350%, compared to a decade ago.

What exactly is driving this shift to plant-based eating? Research from the 2017 Nielsen Homescan Panel Protein survey found that 83% of U.S. participants reported improving overall health and nutrition as the top reason to include more plants in their diet, followed by weight management (62%). Statistics from the report also highlight that 14% of U.S. participants choose plant-based diets for concerns about environmental protection. Additionally, the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot Culinary 2019 Survey found that 64% of chefs reported plant-based sausages and burgers to be a top food trend in 2019, due to sustainability, appeal to vegetarian and vegan foods, and satisfying flavor and texture.

It’s easier to find veggie-burgers on the menu of many restaurants today.

Try to make your own home-made version with this recipe for Curried White Bean Oat Veggie Burgers.

So, naturally, plant-based fast food is also on the rise. Popular fast food chains have even started to serve targeted vegan menu dishes, including restaurants like El Pollo Loco, Subway, and Chipotle. Choosing meat-free meals can be a simple, fun way to try vegan items at your favorite restaurant chains. Even if you are just interested in eating more plant-based meals during the week, these options provide healthful, sustainable choices for on-the-go eating.

Be sure to ask your restaurant server for assistance on food preparation or ingredients used to help enhance your plant-based dining experience. And learn more about making your favorite vegan fast food items at home with this easy guide.

Fast Food Restaurants

Vegan Menu Items

Applebees

Appetizers:

• Brew Pub Pretzels & Beer Cheese (without cheese or honey mustard, add marinara sauce)
• White Queso Dip & Chips (without white queso, add guacamole)

Salads:

• Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad (without chicken)
• House Salad (without cheese)
  • Lemon Olive Oil Vinaigrette
  • Italian Dressing

Pasta:

• Breadsticks with Alfredo (without alfredo and garlic butter, substitute marinara)

Irresist-A-Bowls:

• Southwest Chicken Bowl (without chicken)
• Tex-Mex Lime Shrimp Bowl (without shrimp)

Handcrafted Burgers:

• Impossible Cheeseburger (without cheese)

Sides:

• French Fries
• Waffle Fries
• Baked Potato (without sour cream and butter)
• Steamed Broccoli (without butter)

Substitute any meat for impossible patty for any meat/seafood

Au Bon Pain

Soups:

• Garden Vegetable

Salads:

• Mediterranean (without feta cheese)

Wraps & Sandwiches:

• Mediterranean Wrap (without feta cheese)
• Chipotle Black Bean & Avocado (without cheddar or chiptole mayo)

Snacks:

• Hummus & Pretzel Crackers
• Grapes
• Fruit Cups
• Classic Oatmeal
• Mixed Nuts

Baja Fresh

Burritos:

• Fuego Impossible Burrito (without cheese, sour cream, or diablo salsa)
• Mexicano Burrito- Roasted veggies & beans
• Mexican Burrito- Impossible & beans
• Burrito Ultimo- Roasted veggies (without cheese or sour cream)
• Baja Burrito (without cheese)
• Nacho Burrito (without cheese or sour cream)
• Diablo Burrito (without cheese)

Burrito Bowls & Fajitas:

• Baja Bowl- Roasted veggies & beans
• Baja Bowl- Impossible & beans
• Impossible Bowl (without sour cream)
• Fajitas with roasted veggies (without cheese or sour cream)

Tacos:

• Baja Taco- Roasted veggies
• Baja Taco- Impossible
• Americano Taco (without cheese)
• Impossible Taco Combo (without cheese)

Sides:

• Rice
• Beans (without cheese)
• Chips & Salsa
• Chips & Guacamole

Burger King

Burgers:

• Impossible Whopper (can be microwaved separately, without mayo) *default is shared grill

Breakfast:

• Hash Browns
• French Toast Sticks with Breakfast Syrup

Sides:

• French Fries (shared fryer)
• Onion Rings (shared fryer)

Carl’s Jr.

Burgers:

• Beyond Burger patty
• Beyond Famous Star Burger (without mayo)

Sides:

• Hash Rounds® (shared fryer)
• Crisscut® Fries (shared fryer)
• Natural-Cut Fries (shared fryer)

Chick-fil-a

Salads:

• Spicy Southwest Salad (without chicken, tortilla strips, and cheese)
• Market Salad (without chicken and cheese)
  • Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing
  • Light Italian Dressing
  • Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
  • Fat-free Honey Mustard Dressing (cont. honey)

Sides:

• Waffle Potato Fries
• Fruit Cup
• Kale Crunch Side Salad
• Side Salad (without cheese)
• Waffle Potato Chips
• Buddy Fruits Apple Sauce
• Hash Browns (breakfast)

Chili’s

Sides:

• Bottomless Tostada Chips & Salsa
• Fresh Guacamole & Chips
• Mexican Rice & Beans
• French Fries
• Corn on the Cob
• Roasted Asparagus
• Grilled Broccoli

Substitutions:

• Black Bean Patty

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Burritos & Burrito Bowls:

• Veggie Full Bowl
• Plant Powered Bowl
• Burritos, bowls, tacos, and salads with:
  • Sofritas or fajita veggies
  • Corn and flour tortillas
  • White and brown cilantro-lime rice
  • Beans
  • Salsas
  • Guacamole

Sides:

• Tortilla chips with salsa or guacamole

Del Taco

Burritos & Salads:

• 8 Layer Veggie Burrito (without cheese)
• Epic Fresh Guacamole Burrito (without meat)
• Crunchtada Tostada (without cheese)
• Signature Taco Salad (without meat, sour cream, and cheese)

Sides:

• Crinkle Cut Fries
• Hashbrown Sticks
• Chips & Fresh House-Made Guac

Domino’s Pizza

• Pacific Veggie Pizza- Thin Crust (without cheese)
• Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich (without cheese)
• Classic Garden Salad- Italian Dressing, Raspberry Dressing, or Balsamic Dressing (without cheese & croutons)

Build Your Own With:

• Gluten-free Crust or Thin Crust
• Pizza sauce
• Veggie Toppings
• Sandwich bread

Dunkin Donuts

Breakfast Foods:

• English Muffin
• Hash Browns
• Oatmeal
• Avocado Toast

Bagels:

• Plain
• Everything
• Cinnamon Raisin
• Multigrain
• Sesame Seed

Note: Almond Milk, Oat Milk, and Coconut Milk can be used as non-dairy alternatives to milk and cream.

El Pollo Loco

Burritos & Tacos:

• BRC burrito (without cheese)
• Chicken Avocado Taco (without chicken, cheese, and cilantro dressing)

Burrito Bowls & Salads:

• Classic Tostada Salad (without chicken, sour cream, and cheese)
• Grande Chicken Avocado Bowl (without chicken, cheese, and sour cream)

Sides:

• Chips & Guacamole
• Pinto Beans
• Rice

KFC

Sides:

• BBQ Baked Beans
• Green Beans
• Corn on the Cob
• Sweet Kernel Corn (without butter)
• House Side Salad & Light Italian Dressing (without croutons)
• Secret Recipe Fries (shared fryer)

Desserts:

• Apple Turnover

The Habit Burger Grill

Burgers:

• Veggie Burger on Wheat Bun
• Original Impossible Burger (without cheese and mayo)

Salads:

• Garden Salad with:
  • House Dressing
  • Sweet Mustard Dressing
  • Fat-free Italian Dressing
  • Red Wine Vinaigrette

Sides:

• French Fries (shared fryer)
• Sweet Potato Fries (shared fryer)
• Tempura Green Beans (shared fryer, without ranch)

Johnny Rockets

Burgers:

• Streamliner Burger

Salads:

• Garden Salad (without cheese)
• Balsamic Vinaigrette

Sides:

• Fries
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Tots

Moe’s Southwest Grill

Build Your Own Burrito, Bowl, Tacos, or Salad with Vegan Ingredients:

• Organic Tofu
• Black Beans & Pinto Beans
• Seasoned Rice, Cilantro Rice & Quinoa
• Diced Onions, Diced Tomatoes, Fresh Jalapenos & Pickled Jalapenos
• Grilled Onions, Grilled Peppers, Grilled Mushrooms, Grilled Jalapenos & Grilled Mushrooms
• Diced Cucumbers, Black Olives, Shredded Lettuce, Guacamole, Corn Pico & Pico de Gallo

Noodles & Company

Classic Noodles:

• Penne Rosa (without cream sauce and cheese)
• Pasta Fresca (without cheese)
• Spaghetti & Meatballs (with seasoned tofu, without meatballs and cheese)
• LEANguini Rosa with Impossible Chicken (without cream sauce and cheese)

Asian Noodles:

• Japanese Pan Noodles
• Spicy Korean Beef Noodles (with seasoned tofu, without steak)

Zoodles and Other Noodles:

• Zucchini Roasted Garlic Cream (without cream sauce and cheese)
• Zucchini Rosa with Grilled Chicken (with Impossible Chicken, without cream sauce, chicken, and cheese)

Sides:

• Baguette

Note: Meat in dishes can be substituted with seasoned tofu or Impossible chicken

Panda Express

Appetizers:

• Vegetable Spring Rolls

Mains and Sides:

• Chow Mein
• Super Greens
• Brown and White Steamed Rice
• Fried Rice
• Eggplant Tofu

Sauces:

• Teriyaki Sauce
• Sweet and Sour Sauce
• Chili Sauce
• Potsticker Sauce
• Plum Sauce
• Soy Sauce

Panera Bread

Bakery:

• Plain, Blueberry, Everything, Sesame, and Sprouted Grain Bagels
• Country Rustic Sourdough, Classic Sourdough, Artisan Ciabatta, Black Pepper Focaccia, White or Tomato Basil Miche, Whole Grain Lahvash Wrap,White Whole Grain Loaf
• French Baguette

Breakfast:

• Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries & Pecans
• Seasonal Fruit Cup
• Peach & Blueberry Smoothie with Almond Milk

Bowls:

• Baja Bowl (without feta or Greek yogurt)
• Mediterranean Bowl (without feta or Greek yogurt)

Sides:

• Apple
• Banana
• French Baguette
• Kettle Chips
• Pickle Spear

Salads:

• Fuji Apple with Chicken (without chicken and gorgonzola)
• Asian Sesame Salad (without chicken)
• Greek (without feta)
• Strawberry Poppyseed Salad (without chicken)
• Citrus Asian Crunch Salad (without chicken)

Soups:

• Vegetarian Ten Vegetable Soup

Sandwiches:

• Mediterranean Veggie (without feta)

Pizza Hut

Pizza:

• Veggie Lover’s Pizza with Hand Tossed, Original Pan, or Thin ‘N Crispy® crust (without cheese)

Sides:

• Garden Side Salad (without croutons and cheese)
• With Light Italian Dressing, Light Italian Vinaigrette, Creamy Italian Dressing,Balsamic Dressing, French Dressing, or Sun-dried Tomato Basil Dressing
• Fries with Ketchup (shared fryer)
• Straight-cut Fries with Cajun Style Seasoning
• Straight-cut Fries with Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Desserts:

• Cinnamon Sticks (shared fryer, without icing)
• Fried Apple Pie

QDOBA Mexican Eats

Signature Eats:

• Fajita Vegan Bowl
• Impossible Fajita Bowl and Burrito
• Impossible Taco Salad (without cheese)

Burrito, Taco, or Salad Bowl with Vegan Ingredients:

• Black Bean Corn Salsa
• Black Beans
• Brown Rice
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Citrus Lime Dressing
• Fajita Veggies
• Flour/Whole Wheat Flour Tortilla
• Pickled Jalapeños
• Pickled Red Onion
• Pico De Gallo
• Pinto Beans
• Plant Based Impossible
• Red Chili Sauce
• Roasted Chile Corn Salsa
• Roasted Tomato Salsa
• Seasoned Brown Rice
• Seasoned Potatoes
• Tortilla Strips

Sides:

• Tortilla Chips
• Salsa Roja
• Salsa Verde
• Fiery Habanero Salsa
• Mango Salsa
• Guacamole

Red Robin

Burgers & Salads:

• The Impossible Cheeseburger (without cheese or mayo)
• Veggie Burger (without cheese and garlic aioli)
• Bottomless House Salad (without croutons and cheese)

Sides:

• Bottomless Steamed Broccoli
• Bottomless Side House Salad
• Steak Fries (separate fryer, possible cross-contact)

Starbucks

Breakfast:

• Classic Oatmeal
• Hearty Blueberry Oatmeal
• Strawberry Overnight Grains

Bagels & Spreads:

• Everything Bagel
• Plain Bagel
• Vegan Avocado Spread

Packaged Snacks:

• Chickpea Bites & Avocado Protein Box
• White Cheddar Hippeas
• Salt & Vinegar Kettle Potato Chips
• Peter Rabbit Organics Strawberry Banana
• That’s It- Apple + Blueberry Bar
• That’s It- Apple + Mango Bar
• KIND Blueberry Vanilla & Cashew Bar (cont. honey)
• KIND Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Bar (cont. honey)
• This Bar Saves Lives- Madagascar Vanilla Almond & Honey Bar (cont. honey)
• This Bar Saves Lives- Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Bar (cont. honey)
• This Bar Saves Lives- Dark Chocolate Cherry & Sea Salt Bar (cont. honey)

Subway

Sandwiches:

• Veggie Delite Sandwich
• Veggie Delite Wrap
• Veggie Delite Salad

Breads & Vegan Patty:

• Veggie Patty
• Artisan Italian
• Hearty Multigrain
• Spinach Wrap
• Tomato Basil Wrap

Taco Bell

Tacos, Burritos & More:

• Spicy Potato Soft Taco (without cheese and chipotle sauce)
• Fiesta Veggie Burrito (without cheese, sour cream, and chipotle sauce)
• Black Bean Chalupa Supreme (without cheese and sour cream)
• Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme (without cheese and sour cream)
• Veggie Mexican Pizza (without cheese)
• Power Menu Bowl – Veggie (without cheese, sour cream and avocado ranch sauce)
• Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito (without cheese and jalapeno sauce)
• Black Bean Quesarito (without cheese, sour cream, and chipotle sauce)

Sides & Desserts:

• Chips (with guacamole instead of nacho cheese)
• Black Beans and Rice
• Cinnamon Twists

Uno Pizzeria & Grill

Salads:

• House Salad (without cheese and croutons)
• Berry & Goat Cheese Salad (without goat cheese and honey)
• Low-fat Vinaigrette
• Balsamic Vinaigrette

Pizzas:

• Vegan Cheese Pizza
• Vegan Garden Pizza
• Vegan Cheeseburger Deep Dish

Sides:

• French Fries
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Roasted Seasonal Vegetables
• Steamed Broccoli

World Wrapps

Flatbread Wraps:

• Argentina Chimichurri (with tofu)
• Island Teriyaki (with tofu)

Nori Wrapps & Bowls:

• Spicy Tuna (substituted with tofu and without aioli)
• Furikake Salmon (substituted with tofu and without aioli)
• Hawaiian Poke (substituted with tofu and without aioli)

Kid Wraps:

• Kids Nori Wrapps
• Teriyaki Wrap or Bowl (with organic tofu)
• (Substitute any meat on menu for Organic Non-GMO Tofu)

Note: This information is obtained through restaurant websites and marketing materials. It does not include all restaurants with vegan options. Menu items may change after the publication of this guide, so it’s best to doublecheck with restaurant websites and menus prior to ordering food.

Written by Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN with Anna Tobin, dietetic intern

References:

1. Plant-based proteins are gaining dollar share among North Americans.

   FMCG and Retail. FMCG and Retail. September 22, 2017. Nielsen Product Insider. https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2017/plant-based-proteins-are-gaining-dollar-share-among-north-americans.html

2. Top Trends in Prepared Foods 2017: Exploring trends in meat, fish and seafood; pasta, noodles and rice; prepared meals; savory deli food; soup; and meat substitutes.

   Report Buyer. June 2017, 50 pages. Report ID: 4959853. https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4959853/top-trends-in-prepared-foods-2017-exploring-trends-in-meat-fish-and-seafood-pasta-noodles-and-rice-prepared-meals-savory-deli-food-soup-and-meat-substitutes.html

3. Vegan Society Poll. Ipsos MORI.

   May 16 2016. https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/vegan-society-poll

4. Kelly L. Markowski, Susan Roxburgh. “If I became a vegan, my family and friends would hate me: Anticipating vegan stigma as a barrier to plant-based diets.” Appetite. Volume 135, 1 April 2019, Pages 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.12.040
5. Jory Rand. Beyond Meat teams up with big fast-food chains to sell plant-based items.

   ABC7: Food and Drink. January 3, 2019. https://abc7.com/food/beyond-meat-teams-up-with-fast-food-chains-to-sell-plant-based-items/5007660/

6. Rose, Lily. “Chipotle Just Added Vegetarian Bowls New Vegan and Vegetarian Bowls.” March 7, 2019. https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/chipotle-vegan-vegetarian-lifestyle-bowls/030719

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