Video Are mcdonald’s smoothies vegan

How many times have you been on a long road trip and the only highway food sign points to a McDonald’s? Your omni friend pulls off the highway feeling elated at the thought of a so-called “Happy Meal”—but you only feel pain.

What can a vegan possibly eat at McDonald’s? Do you need to resort to the bruised apple under the seat or to the Larabar that you bought last year? At World of Vegan, we want to help!

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We’ll be taking you through everything you can eat that’s vegan at McDonald’s, as well as what to avoid.

Table of Contents

Be Forewarned: Your Options Are Limited

Sadly, at this time the list of vegan-friendly foods you can feel good (but let’s be real—not great) about ordering at McDonald’s is very small. We go into the true vegan options down below, but first, take a look at this list of items that you might have thought were safe, but are sadly not vegan.

Unfortunately NOT Vegan at McDonald’s (in the US):

French Fries (contain milk and fried in beef fat)
Hash Browns (contain milk and fried in beef fat)
Donut Sticks (contain milk in sticks and sauce)
Shakes (contain milk)
Fruit Smoothies (contain yogurt)
Chocolate Chip Cookies (contain egg and milk)

Are McDonald’s Fries Vegan?

Sadly, NO. Even the french fries at McDonald’s aren’t vegan—at least not in the United States. Some other countries (such as Canada) do have vegan fries, but if you’re in the US, pass on the fries.

Generally, when vegans swing by burger joints, we can sigh and say, “Well, at least the fries are vegan.” That this is not the case at McDonald’s is a travesty we may never get over.

Vegan Options at McDonald’s

There aren’t any plant-based meat options at McDonald’s yet, but there have been hints that they may offer a veggie sausage or plant-based burger in the future. And if the fast-growing vegan options at other fast-food restaurants are a sign, it’s only a matter of time for McDonald’s to follow suit. Cross your fingers!

We’ve seen the new vegan options explode in popularity at fast-food giants like Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Taco Bell, Del Taco, and more. So, c’mon McDonald’s…what are you waiting for?

For now, here’s what you can order from the McDonald’s vegan menu—and how you can get creative with these very limited options.

Breakfast:

Fruit & Maple Oatmeal (ask to be made with water and without milk or cream)
Apple Slices

Breads:

English muffin
Flour tortilla
Artisan Roll

Vegetables:

Lettuce
Tomato
Pickles

Salads:

Southwest Salad (without cheese or Southwest dressing)
Premium Bacon Ranch Salad (without cheese, bacon or Ranch dressing)
Side Salad (without cheese or dressing)

Newman’s Own Dressings:

Balsamic and White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Raspberry Walnut and Red Wine Vinaigrette
Classic Oil & Vinegar
Zesty Italian
Sesame Ginger
Citrus Splash

Dipping Sauces and Condiments:

Spicy buffalo
BBQ
Sweet and Sour
Ketchup
Mustard
Maple Syrup

Snacks:

Apple slices
Baked apple pie (yes, it’s accidentally vegan!)

Beverages:

Soda
Hot coffee (without milk or cream)
Iced coffee (without milk or cream)
Orange juice
Apple juice
Iced tea (without milk or cream)
Slushies

How to Make Meals From The McDonald’s Vegan Menu

Breakfast Ideas:

Fruit & Maple Oatmeal (made with water), a coffee, and a side of apple slices.
A toasted English muffin with margarine*, jelly*, or maple syrup* with a side of apple slices and an orange or apple juice. *(Some restaurants may have these available in the morning or during the day. Ask the cashier when ordering.)
Baked apple pie alone or along with either idea above

Lunch & Dinner Ideas:

Southwest Salad (with no cheese or Southwest dressing), dressing, beverage
Premium Bacon Salad (with no cheese, bacon or Ranch dressing), dressing, beverage
Southwest Wrap—order the Southwest Salad (no cheese or Southwest dressing), a flour tortilla (or two!), dressing, beverage. Ask for the flour tortilla(s) on the side and assemble your own veggie wrap by filling the tortilla with salad and topping with a dressing.
Veggie Artisan Roll Sandwich—ask for any of the burgers or sandwiches without the meat, cheese, and mayo. Ask for extra lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Request a dipping sauce (like bbq, mustard or spicy buffalo), if desired, and a beverage.
Basic Side Salad and a Wrap/Sandwich combo

Snack Ideas:

Apple slices
Apple Pie
Any of the breakfast, lunch, dinner ideas
Apple or orange juice
Coffees or teas (without milk or cream)

Bring Your Own Extras & Add-Ons

If you’re able to keep some of these in your car, pocket, or purse, you’ll improve your chance of having a satisfying meal when visiting McDonald’s. They’re also perfect snacks on their own!

Packets of nut butter (to top a toasted English muffin, tortilla or artisan roll)
Hummus (to top a toasted English muffin, tortilla or artisan roll)
Avocado (to top a toasted English muffin, tortilla or artisan roll)
Packages of nuts (add to salad or oatmeal bowl)
Fresh fruit (add to salad or oatmeal bowl)
Dried fruit (add to salad or oatmeal bowl) Individual container of plant-based milk (to add to coffee or tea to drink alongside a meal, or to add to the oatmeal bowl)
Reusable cutlery, especially a knife (to cut the avocado or spread nut butter)

Vegan Fast Food Guide—How To Order Vegan At The Most Common Chain Restaurants

Find More Vegan-Friendly Fast Food Options

We know how it goes, sometimes you land at a McDonald’s and have to make it work. However if you’re able to convince your friends to swing by another eatery, fast food chain, or heck—even a gas station instead, you’ll likely have far better luck getting a filling meal. Here are some of the best fast food options for vegans.

Fast Food Chains With Vegan Burgers

Knowing that there are various vegan options at mainstream burger chains makes it much easier when traveling or hanging out with friends. These are tried and true chains which offer more than one choice for a meal. We promise you won’t leave hungry!

Burger King (Impossible Whopper)
Carl Jr.’s (Beyond Star Burger)
White Castle (Impossible Sliders)

Fast Food Chains With Great Vegan Options

Chipotle
Taco Bell
Del Taco

Growing Vegan-Friendly Fast Food Restaurants

Here are some up and coming chains that offer fantastic fast food, including mouth-watering veggie burgers, golden fries and scrumptious shakes!

Veggie Grill (several locations in Northern and Southern California)
Amy’s Drive-Thru (Rohnert Park, CA—more locations coming soon!)
Burger Patch (Sacramento, CA)
VeganBurg (San Francisco, CA)
Friendly Toast (MA and NH)

How to Order Vegan at Other Chains

Don’t miss our comprehensive vegan fast food guide that breaks down what you can get at all the major fast food chains, such as:

Vegan at Dominos
How to Order at Taco Bell
Vegan Options at Starbucks

Have you found any other options to be veganizable? Did you find something amazing that we missed? Send us a message and let us know and tag #worldofvegan and @vegan on Instagram to share your favorite vegan at McDonald’s creations with all of us!

How to Order Vegan at McDonalds

Disclaimer: At the time of this vegan McDonalds article (last updated in August of 2021), all of the foods mentioned above are vegan. Since restaurants constantly update their menus, add or take away items, and reformulate menu items, please keep this in mind when ordering your food. There may be new items that are vegan and not listed above or items listed here as vegan, which are no longer vegan. Take care to double-check. Good luck!