Vegetarian and Vegan Fast Food Options at Your Favorite Restaurants

With more and more people looking for different options, our favorite fast food chains are experimenting with their menus to include a more diverse group of consumers. Many chain restaurants are open about sharing their ingredients and helpful allergen information. Allergic to nuts or gluten? Avoiding meat and dairy? It’s not as difficult as you think to find something for everyone when grabbing a quick bite. Here are a few delicious vegetarian and vegan fast food options you can enjoy.

Burger King

In April 2019, Burger King started testing the Impossible Whopper in 59 stores in Minnesota. If testing is successful, Burger King plans to share the new sandwich with the rest of us. The Impossible Burger, found in a few restaurants nowadays, is a plant-based meat substitute made from heme, which is an iron-rich molecule in animal protein which mimics the flavor of meat. “Heme is what makes meat taste like meat,” as stated on impossiblefoods.com.

So far, burger lovers are enjoying the taste of the new Impossible Whopper. It has the same amount of protein as a beef burger (17g), 90% less cholesterol and zero trans fat and costs only a dollar more. Luckily, Burger King hamburger buns are already vegan. Perfect for vegetarians and omnivores with a minor tweak for vegans – order it without mayo.  Bonus: The French fries are vegan, too!

       Credit: Impossible Foods Inc.

Currently, Burger King serves a MorningStar® veggie burger which is vegetarian. For breakfast, vegetarians and vegans can enjoy French toast sticks and hash browns. If you’d like a sweet treat, go for the Dutch apple pie, also made without milk or eggs.

Taco Bell

This chain is extremely accommodating to just about everyone. Their website is fantastic, allowing customers to choose any menu item, see the exact ingredient list and then customize online. There’s even a tab for “Vegetarian” options. It’s easy to add or subtract ingredients to create your own personal fiesta. You can also do this in person at the restaurant – the staff is ready to help.

We recommend trying the Power Menu Bowl. To make it vegetarian, simply subtract the meat and add beans. Refried beans, black beans, rice, guacamole and tortillas are all free of animal products. For vegans, substitute beans and subtract the cheese, sour cream and ranch dressing. All of the Border Sauces are vegan, so feel free to slather those on your bowl. Yum!

Another delicious option is the 7-layer burrito. If you’re looking to skip meat, this is a satisfying choice, infused with many ingredients and tons of flavor. If you’re a vegan, skip the sour cream and cheese and you’re good to go!

Subway

Always stocked on fresh veggies, Subway is the perfect go-to choice for those who love a good vegetable sandwich or wrap. Based on Subway’s website, their Italian bread, 9-Grain wheat bread and wraps contain no egg or milk. Great news for folks who have a lactose intolerance. With a wide array of veggies on hand, you can create a different sub sandwich masterpiece with each visit. Add guacamole, mustard, spices and oil and vinegar to add extra oomph to your sub. Try a hot cup of comforting black bean soup, containing no animal products.

Starbucks

Starbucks is an old pro when it comes to vegan and vegetarian options. From almond milk to oat milk, they have a variety of dairy-free options for those who are allergic, sensitive or choose to be dairy-free. For those who like a little extra flavor in their drinks, most of their coffee syrups are vegan, however these are different from the sauces. Many of their sauces are dairy-based, making them more suited for our vegetarian coffee fanatics. 

For folks who are vegetarian and still want a bit of cheese in their meals, their menu also has some breakfast sandwiches including an egg, pesto & mozzarella sandwich, the impossible breakfast sandwich, and the spinach, feta & egg white wrap. Starbucks breakfast sandwiches are premade, so unfortunately you cannot substitute or change any of the sandwiches. 

Bibibop

A newer vegan-friendly restaurant option that has been popping up around Illinois, this restaurant boasts about their vegan-friendly and healthy options they have available. According to their website, they offer asian-inspired bowls with a variety of options to choose from. All their bowl bases are vegan, with tofu being their vegan-friendly protein option. Besides the yum-yum sauce, all their other sauce options are listed as vegan-friendly. Between the variety of healthy vegetable options and sides to add to your bowl, Bibibop has the crunch and flavor to keep our vegetarian and vegan friends fed.

All this talk of vegetarian and vegan fast food has made us hungry, we’re off to lunch to sample a few of these tasty options. We’ll see you there!