Arby's is a fast-food restaurant that's famous for it's roast beef sandwich. It's slogan is "Arby's. We have the meats!" So you can (correctly) assume that there are not many vegan options there. But most vegans have been in the situation where fries are the only food option available that doesn't contain any animal products. But are Arby’s fries vegan? Does Arby’s sell other vegan items? Well, yes AND no.
The good news is that the fries themselves are vegan. However, they are also fried in the same vegetable oil that they fry all of their food in. That means that there could be cross contamination with animal products. This is a common practice at most fast-food restaurants so you need to decide if it complies with your vegan diet. But cross-contamination aside, both Arby’s curly fries and crinkle fries are vegan. Overall though, I wouldn't consider it a vegan-friendly restaurant.
According to Arby’s website, here is the ingredient list for their curly fries:
Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (contains one or more of the following: canola oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, Corn Oil, palm oil), Enriched Bleached Flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Salt, Corn Starch, Onion Powder, Yellow Corn Meal, Spices, Garlic Powder, Leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate), Modified Corn Starch, Dextrose, Spice and Coloring, Natural Flavor, Dried Torula Yeast, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (to preserve color). Cooked in Vegetable Oil. CONTAINS: WHEAT
Luckily, there are no animal products at all in their fries and it’s cooked in vegetable oil (unlike McDonald’s fries). The only issue is the possible cross-contamination with whatever else is being fried in the same oil.
Vegan-Friendly Lunch and Dinner Options at Arby's
Are fries the only food items available to those who don’t eat animal or dairy products? There are a few other items that vegans can eat. First is the Side Salad, as long as you order it without cheddar cheese. There are two dressings that are vegan-friendly, the Light Italian and the Balsamic Vinaigrette. They do serve other salads which can comply if you order without the meat and cheese.
On the kids menu, there is also Tree Top Applesauce. Obviously, applesauce isn't a meal but you can eat it as a snack or as an item to go with your meal.
Vegan Breads and Rolls
So a bread item isn't a meal but you can add it to a salad to make it feel more complete. There are several breads and rolls that are used for other menu items that are vegan. You can ask for it separately and they will (hopefully) let you buy it, especially if you tell them it's for dietary restrictions. The following bread products are vegan:
- Sourdough Breakfast Bread
- Onion Roll
- Sesame Seed Bun
- Sub Roll
- Hearty Grain Wrap
- Star Cut Bun
- Split Top Bun
- Marble Rye Bread
Breakfast
If you find yourself at an Arby's around breakfast time there are a few options available to vegans. Arby's Potato Cakes and the French Toast Sticks contain only vegan ingredients. There is the risk again of cross-contamination for these as well as they are also fried. But these menu items themselves do not contain any animal ingredients.
Dessert
Looking for a dessert? Unfortunately, you are out of luck at Arby's. All of their dessert menu items contain milk. Several of them also contain egg.
Drinks
There are many vegan friendly drinks available at Arby's including:
- Coffee
- Brewed iced tea
- Orange juice
- CapriSun fruit juice
- Barq's root beer
- Coca-Cola
- Diet Coke
- Fanta Orange
- Hi-C Flashin' Fruit Punch
- Mello Yello
- Minute Main Light Lemonade
- Powerade Mountain Berry Blast
- Sprite
- Dr. Pepper
- Diet Dr. Pepper
- Bottle Water
Sauces
Need a dipping sauce? There are several sauces at Arby’s that are vegan including:
- Arby’s Sauce
- Bronco Berry Sauce
- Bourbon BBQ Sauce
- Tangy Barbeque Sauce
- Smoky Q Sauce
- Marinara Sauce (NOTE: Their Robust Marinara Sauce is NOT vegan!)
- Ketchup
- Red Ranch Sauce
- Spicy Three Pepper Sauce
Meal Ideas
Yes, there are very few vegan menu items at Arby's. However, if I found myself at one on a road trip (in the middle of nowhere with no other options for another hundred miles), I could put together a "meal". For breakfast, I would just get the potato cakes and the French toast sticks which are the two breakfast menu items that are vegan.
For lunch or dinner I'd have to be a little more creative. I would order one of the bread options like a sub roll or a hearty grain wrap. I would also order the side salad without cheese and with balsamic vinaigrette. Then, you can make a veggie wrap or sandwich with a little dressing on it. Add a side of fries, and it's almost a real meal. It certainly wouldn't be the most nutritious lunch or dinner, but in a pinch it would be good enough.
Summary
Arby’s does have a very meat-heavy menu and has limited vegan options. As of now, they haven't jumped on the bandwagon with other popular fast food restaurants and started offering plant-based meat but that could be in the future. But if you find yourself at one, there are still a few vegan-friendly options to try.
Wondering about other fast food or chain restaurants? Check out: