The Best Fast Food Restaurants To Eat At If You Are Vegan

Veganism isn't just a passing trend. In fact, plant-based foods with no trace of animal products are only growing in popularity. For some, veganism is an ethical choice, while others choose the lifestyle for its health benefits. From initiatives like Meatless Mondays to Veganuary, folks are finding plenty of reasons to try out vegan foods. This lifestyle used to have a much higher barrier of entry, as there were practically no restaurants that offered vegan fare, especially in the fast food space. Fortunately, these chains are becoming increasingly aware of customers' dietary preferences and restrictions, and you can now confidently walk into most establishments knowing that there will be at least a few vegan items to choose from.

Let's examine some fast food options for those who are vegan (or for those who are just in the mood for something plant-based). At the end, we'll touch on the methodology we used in determining our list of the best fast food vegan options available today.

At first glance, it's hard to believe that Plant Power Fast Food is 100% vegan, especially when its website's home page features a burger seemingly loaded with beef patties, bacon, and American cheese. The brand describes itself as the future of fast food. Not only is its entire menu plant-based, but its food is also free from hormones, antibiotics, artificial coloring, preservatives, and trans-fats.

Its patties are made from yellow pea protein, while its cheese is made from coconut oil and vegetable starch for a creamy (but still dairy-free) texture. Its milkshakes are also vegan and are made from oat milk ice cream. Worth noting, however, is that the chain's 10 branches are mostly based in California (with one exception in Nevada), so country-wide availability is limited.

Plant Power Fast Food's commitment to sustainability isn't just limited to its food. Its tables and booths are made from renewable, fast-growing bamboo instead of wood. The chairs are made of recycled waste and reclaimed wood fibers that typically end up in the trash. Even the majority of its takeout packing is compostable and made from plants.

Slutty Vegan is another vegan fast food option that's rapidly gaining popularity. With 12 branches across the U.S., its availability is still limited, though it has locations in Georgia, New York, Alabama, and Texas. In 2023, Mashed interviewed the chain's founder, Pinky Cole, about her plants to dominate the plant-based industry. What began in her kitchen as a way to make food for local customers on Instagram has grown into a huge vegan fast food spot with franchises popping up all over.

Each item's name is amusingly on-brand, with options like a "One Night Stand" (a plant-based burger with vegan bacon and cheese) and a "Hollywood Hooker" (a vegan chopped Philly with jalapeños, bell peppers, onions, and vegan provolone). Dessert options include sweet potato pie and vegan ice cream so you can finish your vegan meal with a sweet treat. Slutty Vegan offers catering, and customers can even rent out its food truck, so you can bring vegan fast food to your event in style.

In case you haven't noticed the trend thus far, burgers are apparently where it's at if you're looking for vegan food on the go. Next Level Burger has 10 branches scattered throughout the U.S., with locations in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Texas, and New York.

The menu features plenty of burgers, but if you're looking for something different, try the Blue BBQ burger with a mushroom patty, house-made organic quinoa, and organic tempeh bacon. The chain's sky-high Stakk'd burgers have to be seen to be believed; these feature double-decker crispy chik'n filets, organic tempeh bacon, and vegan pepper jack cheese.

While burgers are the chain's main offering, it also offers salads, as well as snacks like nuggets, fried onion rings, chik'n tenders, and slaw. For something sweet, try out its milkshake flavors like Organic Peanut Butter Cup and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Additionally, Next Level Burger's limited releases are always changing, so frequent visits are the key to experiencing as much of its menu as possible.

While it's great to see vegan chains growing in popularity, their limited accessibility means you may have to seek out vegan options at non-vegan fast food chains. QDOBA, as just one example, has several vegan options to choose from. The restaurant prepares everything in-house by hand, and it has also pledged to avoid certain controversial ingredients like MSG and artificial colors.

The chain implements several sustainable practices, like growing its produce and rice in the U.S. While QDOBA definitely serves animal products, it claims to partner with suppliers who care about quality, food ethics, and animal welfare. Its packaging also uses compostable bowls and brown paper bags made from 100% recycled materials.

If you'd like to make a standard menu item vegan, the restaurant can swap out its beef for a plant-based alternative. If you're looking for a ready-made vegan item, opt for the Impossible Taco Salad or Impossible Fajita Burrito or Bowl. Try adding some guacamole and sautéed fajita vegetables for an extra dose of nutrients and a more filling meal. (If you're still wondering what to get, we've ranked QDOBA's menu items from worst to best.)

It's hard to walk five blocks in any major city without encountering a Starbucks. Fortunately, making your coffee or tea order vegan at the popular chain should be pretty easy. Starbucks offers non-dairy alternatives like soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk and oat milk. Just mention that you're vegan while ordering and ask for your milk replacement of choice.

Be cautious, however, around toppings like drizzles, syrups, or chocolate shavings. Ask if an addition is vegan before proceeding, and (of course) skip the whipped cream. If you don't consume honey and you're ordering an iced tea, ask for sugar as your sweetener. Starbucks' lemonade is also vegan. For anything creamy and blended, just ask for your favorite dairy alternative.

For snacks, avocado spread on your bread of choice is a quick meal on the move. You can also grab oatmeal, overnight oats, or a bagel with nut butter. Just make sure non-dairy milk is used in the cooking process. If your barista is unsure whether or not something is vegan, it's best to skip it. Instead, just grab your coffee to go and make some vegan brownies over the weekend.

Not only does Mellow Mushroom have a cute name, but it's also pretty widely available across the U.S. The chain itself isn't vegan, but a lot of its customers are, so the restaurant makes ordering a breeze with a helpful vegan symbol next to all of its vegan-friendly dishes. Its website even features a "Vegan" page where all of these items are gathered. (Mellow Mushroom also offers an extended beverage menu that features a selection of cocktails, mocktails, and beer.)

The restaurant's vegan options include two salads, two sandwiches, soft pretzels, and several specialty pizzas. For the latter option, you can ask for dairy-free cheese so that you don't have to suffer the indignity of a cheese-free pizza. If you do order vegan, Mellow Mushroom leaves off the parmesan and garlic butter that it typically puts on its pizzas, so if you want to partake of those in particular, be sure to mention it. Mellow Mushroom also allows customers to add plant-based tempeh protein to any order.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Baskin-Robbins. There's nothing better than a scoop of ice cream on a hot day, but if you're vegan, finding a dairy-free frozen sweet treat can be tough. Fortunately, Baskin-Robbins has a selection of vegan choices on its menu, including both ice cream and beverages.

The smoothies are vegan (though you should double-check that the fruit is blended with water, juice, or non-dairy milk), with tasty options like strawberry and mango. For a caffeine fix, opt for the medium-roast cold brew that's 100% Colombian coffee. If you're in the mood for sorbet, the chain's lemon flavor is vegan and can hopefully give you that perfect sweet-sour balance.

If you prefer your ice cream to be, well, creamy, then Baskin-Robbins also offers a non-dairy Mint Chocochunk flavor. The sweet, mint-flavored treat is made with coconut milk and loaded with both vegan chocolate chunks and fudge swirls. Admittedly, there are many more options available to choose from if you're not vegan, but with time, more non-dairy choices will hopefully be added. (In the meantime, we've ranked all of Baskin-Robbins' flavors from worst to best.)

Burger Kings are everywhere, so if you're vegan, it's worth your while to know what on the chain's menu will fit your dietary needs. The fast food giant introduced its Impossible Whopper in 2019, and indeed, this is likely the staple order for many vegans. That said, it's crucial that you remember to order it without mayo and don't add any cheese, as neither of those are vegan options at Burger King. Also worth noting is that Burger King's fries are vegan, as they're cooked in oil that doesn't come into contact with any animal products.

While Burger King's vegan options are pretty limited, at least in the U.S. (the chain has implemented more vegan options offshore), you can at least grab a burger and fries — a takeout staple if there ever was one. And, of course, nothing is stopping you from replicating its classic Impossible Whopper at home.

This is yet another burger option, but burgers aren't a staple of the fast food kingdom for nothing. If you're vegan and you head to Carl's Jr, your best option is to order the charbroiled 100% plant-based Beyond Burger patty on the aptly named Famous Star. This sandwich also features tomato, lettuce, onions, and dill pickles. You should, however, ask for it without the melted American cheese that comes standard, and ask them to hold the mayo, too. That said, feel free to keep Carl's Jr.'s signature Special Sauce on your burger since it's vegan. To make it a bit more filling, try adding some guacamole.

Enjoy your burger with a side of crispy waffle fries since those are also vegan, but steer clear of the chain's fried onion rings and fried zucchini since their batter contains eggs. Carl's Jr.'s options are still quite limited, but with a burger and fries, you at least won't go hungry.

Chipotle is a solid option for vegans craving fast food. The brand focuses on providing customers with fresh food and proudly claims that its menu only uses 53 ingredients. Similarly, its food doesn't include any hormones, preservatives, or artificial flavors or colors, and the company claims to be the first national restaurant brand to only use responsibly raised meat.

For those who have adopted a vegan lifestyle, however, using any animal products is a no-go. Chipotle understands this and has a page on its website dedicated to menu items that will fit different dietary needs. Its tofu-based sofritas are completely vegan, as are its tortillas, vegetables, rice, beans, salsas, chips, and guacamole, so you can go wild mixing and matching ingredients to complete your meal.

While some items on Chipotle's menu are decidedly not vegan-friendly — such as any of its meats, as well as its shredded Monterey Jack cheese, queso, sour cream, and chipotle-honey vinaigrette — there are plenty of vegan options to add to your burrito. If you've got some time on your hands, however, you can make a vegan version of carnitas pulled pork at home using jackfruit.

Panera Bread may not be vegan, but the chain is well aware that plenty of its customers are. A page on its website is dedicated to ordering vegan food at Panera locations, and it even includes the brand's definition of veganism: "Panera's definition of a vegan menu item is a food with no animal sources: no meat, fish, shellfish, milk, egg or honey products, and no enzymes and rennet from animal sources are allowed."

The brand does, however, offer a disclaimer that all of its menu items, both vegan and non-vegan, are prepared in the same kitchen, so there is always a chance of cross-contact between ingredients. To be fair, this is likely true of any fast food restaurant that offers vegan options. Panera recommends that vegan customers order its Baja or Mediterranean Bowl without feta or Greek yogurt, the Fuji Apple Salad without chicken or gorgonzola, the Greek Salad without feta, and the Asian Sesame Salad without chicken. For smoothies, opt for the Peach and Blueberry Smoothie, and for breakfast, grab the Steel-cut Oatmeal with Strawberries and Pecans.

As we've seen, there's no shortage of burger spots that offer vegan options, so it's nice to see some variety. Thanks to Blaze Pizza, vegan diners can get their pizza fix. Unlike more mainstream pizza chains, Blaze doesn't ask its vegan customers to order their pizza without cheese. While that's still definitely an option, it arguably negates the whole point of pizza. Blaze Pizza offers the option of dairy-free cheese, so you don't have to compromise on the gooey slice you've been daydreaming about.

Blaze Pizza, while not a vegan restaurant, also has your back when it comes to vegan meat. The restaurant offers plant-based spicy chorizo, which contains zero animal products or gluten. It's packed with flavor, so even non-vegans may enjoy it. Once you've added your vegan cheese and chorizo, you can go wild with your toppings. Artichokes, olives, tomatoes, garlic, basil, mushrooms, pineapple, onion, spinach, and various peppers are all available for you to customize your ideal pizza. The brand is steadily growing in popularity and has locations nationwide, so if there isn't one near you yet, that may eventually change.

Tracking down the best vegan fast food is a bit more limiting than looking for the best fast food pizza. That doesn't mean it isn't out there, however. When composing our roundup, we looked at the offerings of national chains, the ingredients used, as well as variety, and prices. We also factored in what customers were saying about these food items and overall availability. This helped us in putting together a list that we're confident presents readers with vegan fast food options they can feel informed about ordering, no matter where they live.