Vegan Fast Food Options: A Quick Guide for 13 Chains

Last Updated on 1 month ago

Vegan Fast Food | On the go? In a pinch? Just need something quick? Here’s a quick personalized guide to what to order at fast food joints

As a fairly new vegan who loves to cook, I prefer to eat at home and generally avoid fast food joints. Why? Because I know I’d be paying premium prices for lackluster, greasy, protein-deficient meals.

But let’s face it—sometimes, there’s no good vegan restaurant nearby, and you may need to settle for something quick. Vegan fast food from national chains tends to be 1.) carb-heavy (fries, potatoes, or rice), 2.) have little to no protein option, and 3.) the vegetables look less than fresh.

I prefer to cook my plant-based meals at home, but as our schedules change, I have found a few good things at well-known places when I’m in a pinch. Here are my vegan fast food recommendations for some common chains.

• CAVA (Grill)

  • My go-to order: Kids Meal Gyro and a drink! It’s a great deal and very filling (if your CAVA doesn’t mind that you’re not a kid). We love CAVA because there are tons of vegan sauces, dressings, toppings, and entrees to choose from. Still, for the kids gyro, my recommendation is brown rice (grains), falafel (main), harissa and roasted eggplant (dips), tomato and cucumber plus pickled red onion (toppings), finished off with the garlic and skhug (dressings). All of their dressings are vegan/vegetarian except for the Yogurt Dill. The meal comes with crispy, hot pita bread and your choice of beverage. ALL of their teas are good and vegan-friendly.
  • See CAVA’s FULL Allergen Menu here.

• Five Guys

  • My go-to order: Loaded veggie fries! It’s not on the menu, here’s how to make it: order a side of fries, ask for all the veggies sauteed, and request it in a bowl. Take a portion of the fries, add them to the bowl with mustard and ketchup. A scoop of peanuts, either as an appetizer or a treat to go, is also an option.
  • See Five Guys FULL Allergen Menu here.

• Panda Express

  • My go-to order: Beyond Original Orange Chicken with Super Greens (a broccoli, kale, and cabbage mix). However, it is a seasonal item, so it may not always be available. When in doubt, their Eggplant and crispy tofu entree is another excellent option. For additional sides, you can opt for veggie spring rolls or a sweet treat, such as their accidentally vegan apple pie roll.
  • See Veggl’s FULL vegan menu breakdown here.

• Dunkin’ (Donuts)

  • My go-to order: hash brown rounds, Avocado toast (sourdough bread topped with smashed avocado and everything bagel seasoning), a bagel without cream cheese, or any of the iced matcha lattes with oat milk.
  • See Veggl’s FULL vegan menu breakdown here.

• Wendy’s

  • My go-to order: Fries or apple slices, or an iced coffee without creamer (it’s pretty slim pickings here for my taste).
  • See Veggl’s FULL vegan menu for Wendy’s here.

• Chick-fil-A

  • My go-to order: Medium fries or Hash Browns, a fruit cup with a side salad without cheese, and the apple cider vinaigrette dressing. For breakfast, the tater tots are also vegan-friendly. If you’re a frequent flyer, using your Chik-fil-A rewards can be budget-friendly.
  • See Veggl’s FULL vegan menu for Chick-fil-A here.

• Chipotle

  • My go-to order: the salad bowl with brown or white rice, fajita veggies, plant-based sofritas (on the side), tomato salsa, corn salsa, guacamole, and the dressing on the side (it contains honey, though), and a bag of chips. [Note: Chipotle’s tortillas are vegan if you’re in a burrito mood].
  • See Veggl’s FULL vegan menu for Chipotle here.

• Subway

  • My go-to order: sourdough or multigrain bread with a veggie patty (check by location), olives, cucumbers, tomato, onion, spinach, avocado, and sweet onion teriyaki sauce. For a side, either the Kettle brand Salt & Vinegar or Lay’s BBQ chips (but be sure to check ingredients for other flavors). [Note: NONE of the cookies are vegan.]
  • See Veggl’s FULL vegan menu for Subway here.

• Starbucks

  • My go-to order: Iced chai latte with non-dairy milk (soy is preferred because its higher in protein) or the Pink Drink with coconut milk. The drink options are pretty vast. Snackwise, when in doubt, I go with the Oatmeal or Everything bagel with avocado spread (sold separately).
  • Fantastic FULL vegan menu breakdown for Starbucks here.

• Burger King

  • My go-to order: Impossible Whopper Burger without mayo; plus BK’s fries are vegan-friendly. You can also order it bun-less if you want to keep carbs lower. [If going for breakfast, opt for the French toast sticks or hash browns].

• Pollo Tropical

  • My go-to order: Tropichop bowl with white or brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, mojo sauce, and an order of sweet plantains. [Note: If you’re lucky enough, you have a location near you that has vegan chimichurri, but here in Florida, we do not].
  • See Veggl’s FULL vegan menu for Pollo Tropical here.

• Mcdonald’s

  • My go-to order: Only the apple slices, maple oatmeal (without cream), and basic iced coffee are animal-free. McDonald’s, to my surprise, offers dairy-free milk options, including soy or oat milk.
  • See Veggl’s FULL vegan menu here.

• Taco Bell

  • My go-to-order: I’m quite surprised at how extensive the veggie options are here. The general rule of thumb is to replace meat with beans (yes, the beans are meat-free) and order “Fresco style,” which replaces the dairy items (cheese, mayo-based sauces, and sour cream) with pico de gallo/diced tomatoes.
  • See Veggl’s FULL vegan menu and exact orders here.

The Veggl.com website and Vegnews.com have both been super helpful resources on my plant-based journey.