When that hunger strikes and you need a speedy meal, McDonald's might not be your first thought for vegan food. True, the fast-food giant has minimal vegan items but that will hopefully change. So what are the vegan options at McDonald's? Read on for the complete guide.
All ingredients and nutritional information can be found on the McDonald's website. Not all locations have all menu items.
Vegan Breakfast At McDonald's
There are very few vegan options for breakfast as many of their menu items center around biscuits and eggs. The oatmeal, if modified, can be a good choice if you request it be made with water.
- Plain English Muffin
- Apple Slices
- Fruit & Maple Oatmeal - Ask to be made with water instead of cream or milk.
Vegan Breads and Rolls
There are several vegan bread products on the menu. Unfortunately, there isn't really anything to put on them as they do not have a vegan burger.
- English Muffin
- Flour Tortilla
- Sesame Seed Bun
- Regular Bun
Vegan Condiments and Sauces
The good news is that there are a few vegan condiments and sauces. The bad news is that without vegan-friendly fries, nuggets or burgers, there's not much to dip in them.
- Tangy Barbecue
- Sweet 'N Sour
- Ketchup
- Mustard
Vegan Dessert
The biggest surprise is that McDonald's has a great option for dessert.
- Baked Apple Pie
Drinks
There are many vegan drinks at McDonald's including:
- Frozen Fanta slushies
- Apple Juice
- Orange Juice
- Black Coffee
- Soft drinks
- Iced tea
- Hot tea
- Lemonade
Menu Items Surprisingly NOT Vegan
There are a few menu options that sounds like they should be vegan, but are not.
- Hash browns
- French fries
- Oatmeal - As is, the oatmeal contains dairy. You can order it without cream though to make it vegan friendly.
Does McDonald's Serve Salads?
Believe it or not, the fast-food chain does not have salads anymore. Not even a side salad! So those who follow a vegan diet have even less choice.
What Happened to the McPlant?
In 2022, McDonald's tested out a veggie burger in about 600 restaurants. This veggie burger, called the McPlant, could be made vegan by removing the cheese and mayo. Unfortunately, it was not a big seller and McDonald's did not move forward with it.
McDonald's Vegan Options Outside the United States
This might not be a big surprise, but there are more vegan options at McDonald's as soon as you step out of the United States. Some of these options are:
- Fried Veggie Dippers
- Plant-based Chicken Wraps and Sandwiches
- French Fries
- McPlant: a fully vegan burger with plant-based mayo and dairy-free cheese
- Hash Browns
Hopefully, we will get some of these options in the US in the near future.
FAQs
As is, no it's not. McDonald's Oatmeal is made with oats, diced apples, cranberry raisin blend, and cream. It is not vegan as it contains dairy. However, you can ask that it be made with water instead of cream and then it would be vegan-friendly.
No, McDonald's fries are not vegan. They contain natural beef flavoring which actually contains milk derivatives...not beef.
No, they are now fried in vegetable oil. According to their website, they use a canola-blend oil to fry their French fries in.
No, at this time there isn't a veggie burger at McDonald's.
Unfortunately, the hash browns contain natural beef flavoring which contains milk. The hash browns are not vegan.
While the potato bun does not contain any dairy products, it does contain honey and is not vegan.
Surprisingly yes! The McDonald's Baked Apple Pies are accidentally vegan.
Ingredients: Apples (apples, Ascorbic Acid, Salt, Citric Acid), Enriched Flour (bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Palm Oil, Water, Apple Juice Concentrate, Modified Food Starch, Invert Syrup, Contains 2% Or Less: Yeast, Salt, Cinnamon, Sunflower Lecithin, L-cysteine (dough Conditioner), Yeast Extract, Enzyme, Beta-carotene (color).
Summary
There are not very many food items without animal products on the McDonald's menu. While other fast food chains are adding more and more vegan-friendly options, McDonald's is falling behind. Burger King has their plant-based burger and Taco Bell has a ton of vegan food.
Without even salads or vegan fries, there is very little available to vegans at McDonald's.
Wondering what the vegan options are at other fast-food restaurants? Check out:
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