McDonald's isn't the easiest place for a vegan to eat. Currently, there are no vegan entrées on the menu. However, if you're in a pinch, it's possible to put together a decent vegan meal at McDonald's. Here's everything you need to know to place your order.
Best Bet: DIY Veggie Sandwich
Your best bet is to turn a McDonald's burger into a veggie sandwich with a few modifications. Here are two options we recommend.
Modified Big Mac
Order the Big Mac without the beef patty and cheese. Swap the Big Mac sauce (which is not vegan) for one of the two vegan sauce options: Tangy Barbeque Sauce or Sweet 'N Sour Sauce.
The Big Mac sesame seed bun and all the other toppings (lettuce, pickle slices, and onions) are vegan. You can give some extra heft and flavor to your meal by adding tomatoes, ketchup, or mustard.
Congratulations—you have made the best possible "burger" using everything that could reasonably be put on a bun.
Modified Basic Hamburger
You can also order a basic hamburger without the patty. The regular bun and the toppings (pickle slices, onions, ketchup, and mustard) are all vegan, and as always, you can add lettuce and tomato to dress it up a bit.
Treehugger Tip
Swap McDonald's fries or hash browns with apple slices when ordering a combo. The fries and hash browns are not vegan because they are made with natural beef flavoring and milk derivatives.
Vegan Breakfast
McDonald's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, ordered without the light cream, is the only true vegan breakfast available on the menu.
The other options for creating a simple vegan breakfast are:
- Apple slices
- Plain flour tortilla
- Maple syrup
The rest of the breakfast menu isn't vegan. For example, the biscuit contains buttermilk, McGriddles contain whey, and the hotcakes are made with both whey and eggs.
Vegan McCafé Drinks
Coffee drinkers, rejoice: McDonald’s brewed coffee is vegan.
Get fancy and order an Americano with Rainforest Alliance Certified espresso, and add the French vanilla syrup if you like—it’s also vegan.
However, the mocha and caramel coffee drinks are not vegan.
Treehugger Tip
Look out for the McPlant in the (hopefully) near future. This plant-based patty is a result of McDonald's partnership with Beyond Meat and has already been unveiled in Europe.
Build Your Own Vegan Happy Meal
If you need a blast from the past, it’s pretty easy to make a vegan Happy Meal. Order the hamburger without the patty and add lettuce, tomato, and your choice of condiments and sauces. Swap the fries for sliced apples, and select water or juice in lieu of the milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are McDonald's fries vegan?
McDonald's fries are not vegan. The fries and hash browns contain natural beef flavoring made with milk derivatives. These ingredients give McDonald’s fries their distinctive taste and, unfortunately, make them a non-option for vegans.
Can you make a vegan sandwich at McDonald’s?
No. Even without the chicken or the Spicy Pepper Sauce, which contains eggs, the potato roll that houses all of McDonald’s sandwiches contains honey.
Does McDonald’s have vegan desserts?
No. While McDonald’s Baked Apple Pies appear to be vegan at first glance, a closer look at the ingredients reveals L. cysteine, a dough conditioner typically derived from feathers or human hair—not exactly an appealing vegan ingredient. Likewise, none of the McCafe bakery items or fruit smoothies are vegan.
