What are the vegan options at Arby's? 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? And what are the vegan options at Arby's?
All ingredients, allergen and nutritional information can be found on Arby’s website.
Vegan Sides and Snacks
The good news is that Arby's fries themselves are vegan. However, they are also fried in the same vegetable oil that they fry all of their food in. The vegan side options are:
- Curly Fries
- Crinkle Fries
- Applesauce (Kids Menu)
Curly Fries Ingredients
Luckily, there are no animal products at all in their fries and it’s cooked in vegetable oil. The only issue is the possible cross-contamination with whatever else is being fried in the same oil.
Curly Fries Ingredients: 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
Vegan Breads and Rolls
So a bread item isn't a meal but you can add it to a side 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
- French Toast Sticks
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.
Vegan Desserts
Looking for a dessert? Surprisingly, there are 2 options at Arby's.
- Apple Turnover
- Cherry Turnover
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
NOTE: Their Buffalo Sauce is not vegan.
Toppings
Aside from the sauces above, there are a few other vegan toppings.
- Leaf Lettuce
- Tomato
- Red Onion
- Jalapenos
Salads
This is a tricky one. Arby's used to have a side salad that you could order without cheese. There was Balsamic Vinaigrette and Light Italian dressings that were vegan-friendly. However, currently it is not listed on the menu, on the Ingredients Guide or the Allergen Guide.
But, the side salad might exist at your local Arby's. Just make sure you order it without cheese.
Meal Idea
If I were on a road trip and found myself at an Arby's, I would order one of the breads or rolls and then add the lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion. You could get a side of fries and even a cherry turnover for dessert. It's certainly not healthy, but it's something.
FAQ
Are Arby's fries vegan?
Yes! Both their curly fries and crinkle fries are vegan. However, they are fried in a shared fryer so there is the risk of cross contamination.
Are the Apple and Cherry Turnovers really vegan?
Surprisingly yes! So you can have some dessert if you're at Arby's.
Is Arby's Sauce vegan?
Yes! Arby's sauce does not contain any animal products.
Arby's Sauce Ingredients: Water, Corn Syrup, Tomato Paste, Distilled Vinegar,
High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Soybean Oil,
Xanthan Gum, Garlic (dehydrated), Sodium Benzoate (preservative),
Onion (dehydrated), Spice and Spice Extractives, Artificial Flavor,
Extractives of Capsicum.
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:
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