Are there vegan options at Applebee's? Applebee's is a restaurant chain that serves classic American food including burgers, pasta, salads, steak, chicken, sandwiches and more. While Applebee's does not have a vegan menu, they do have several menu items that do not contain any egg, dairy or meat products. So what's vegan at Applebee's? Read on to find out about their vegan menu options.
All allergen and nutritional information can be found on the Applebee's website. Note: not all menu items are available at all Applebee’s Locations.
Disclaimer
All nutritional and allergen information can be found on Applebee’s Website. Applebee's has also put together a Vegan and Vegetarian Guide which has the following disclaimer:
"Applebee’s defines vegan as not containing any animal products or byproducts including meat, rennet, gelatin, eggs, dairy, or honey. Because we have multiple sources of animal products in our shared cooking and prep areas, including common fryer oil, we are unable to guarantee that any menu item be completely free of animal products or byproducts. Limited time offers, regional items, or test items may not be included."
Cross Contamination
Applebee's uses common fryers so there is a risk of cross contamination. However, there is a risk of cross contamination at almost any restaurant unless they have a dedicated fryer for vegan food. The good news is that Applebee's food is not fried in animal lard.
Vegan Appetizers
There are a few great appetizer options if you request some changes.
- Brew Pub Pretzels (No beer cheese dip or honey mustard)
- Chips (from White Queso Dip & Chips, no White Queso) - You can pair these tortilla chips with guacamole or corn salsa.
- Breadsticks (ask for no garlic butter, no alfredo sauce)
Sauces & Dips
There are three sauces and dips with vegan ingredients.
- Marinara
- Guacamole
- Chipotle Lime Salsa
Soups
None of the soups are vegan.
Salads
While none of the salads are vegan as is, you can make some changes and substitutions so they they don't contain any animal ingredients. The good news is that you can substitute an Impossible patty for the meat or seafood in any salad.
- Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad (no chicken)
- House Salad (no cheese)
Salad Dressings
There are two vegan dressings to choose from.
- Fat Free Italian
- Lemon Olive Oil Vinaigrette
Pasta Dishes
- All pasta noodles are vegan. You can get pasta with marinara sauce.
Irresist-A-Bowls
You can substitute and Impossible patty for the chicken and shrimp in the Bowls.
- Southwest Chicken Bowl (no chicken)
- Tex-Mex Lime Shrimp Bowl (no shrimp)
Burgers
The great news is that Applebee's has a vegan burger that is served on a brioche bun. Surprisingly, the brioche bun is vegan! The Impossible Burger is served with French Fries which are also vegan.
- Impossible Cheeseburger (no cheese)
Sandwiches
There are no vegan sandwiches at this time.
Side Dishes
There are four side dishes to choose from with some modifications.
- Plain Baked Potato (no sour cream or butter)
- Classic Fries
- Waffle Fries
- Steamed Broccoli (no butter)
Desserts
Sadly, no desserts are vegan.
Kids Menu
There are no Kids Main Menu Items that are vegan. There are a few sides and drinks.
Kids Sides
- Applesauce
- Broccoli
- French Fries
Kids Beverages
- Kids Apple Juice
- Kids Grape Juice
- Kids Orange Juice
Kids Fruit Smoothies
- Mango
- Pina Colada
- Strawberry Banana
Drinks
There are MANY vegan drink options at Applebee's. They include Flavored Lemonades, Iced Teas, and Fruit Smoothies.
Coffee and Hot Tea
- Brewed Hot Tea
- Brewed Coffee
Flavored Lemonades
- Blackberry Lemonade
- Blue Raspberry Lemonade
- Dragon Fruit Lemonade
- Kiwi Lemonade
- Mango Lemonade
- Passion Fruit Lemonade
- Peach Lemonade
- Pomegranate Lemonade
- Raspberry Lemonade
- Strawberry Lemonade
Fruit Smoothies
Surprisingly, their fruit smoothies do not contain any dairy. I listed the ingredients for the Mango Smoothie below as an example.
Mango Smoothie Ingredients: Water, Mango Puree Concentrate, Sugar, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Beta Carotene (for Color), Acacia Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carrageenan, Maltodextrin, Green Tea Extract
Other flavors include:
- Pina Colada
- Strawberry Banana
- Strawberry Colada Smoothie Swirl
- Strawberry Mango Smoothie Swirl
Flavored Iced Teas
- Blackberry Iced Tea
- Dragon Fruit Iced Tea
- Kiwi Iced Tea
- Mango Iced Tea
- Passion Fruit Iced Tea
- Peach Iced Tea
- Pomegranate Iced Tea
- Raspberry Iced Tea
- Strawberry Iced Tea
Regular Iced Tea
- Brewed Iced Tea
- Sweet tea
FAQ
Are Applebee's pretzels vegan?
Yes! Their pretzel appetizer is vegan. However, you need to order it without the beer cheese or the honey mustard.
Are Applebee’s onion rings vegan?
Unfortunately, no they are not vegan. They contain dairy products
Onion Rings Ingredients: Onions, Bleached Wheat Flour, Water, Modified Food Starch, Modified Corn Starch, Salt, Yellow Corn Flour, Sugar, Yeast, Dried Onion, Onion Powder, Soybean Oil, Whey, Spices, Dextrose, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Silicon Dioxide, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Guar Gum, Canola Oil, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Liquid And Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, TBHQ And Citric Acid (Preservatives), Dimethylpolysiloxane (Anti-Foaming Agent)
Are Applebee's breadsticks vegan?
Yes but only if you order without garlic butter and alfredo sauce.
Are Applebee’s Fries vegan?
Yes! Both their Classic Fries and Waffle Fries do not contain any animal products.
Their Garlicky Green Beans are vegan, right?
Unfortunately, no. They contain dairy products.
Is there a vegan burger at Applebee's?
Yes, they have the Impossible Cheeseburger. Just make sure you order it without cheese. Originally, it was only at select locations (several in New York) starting back in 2018. But their Chief Marketing Officer Joel Yashinsky confirmed it is now nationwide as of March of 2022.
Does Applebee's have a vegan chicken dish?
Not yet. Hopefully this is something they will add to their menu in the future.
Where was the original Applebee's?
The original Applebee's was opened in Atlanta, Georgia in 1980. They currently have locations all over the United States and around the world.
Summary
While there are limited vegan options, Applebee’s Restaurants have more than some other chain restaurants. You are not limited to only French fries and a side salad. Most importantly, they now have the Impossible Burger! They have a few vegan appetizers including their Brew Pub Pretzels. And they have MANY vegan drink options including fruit smoothies. If your non-vegan friends are looking to go out to Applebee's, there are a few great vegan options there. I'm hoping they'll add vegan desserts and onions rings in the future!
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