Dairy Free Fast Food Guide

Just because you’re dairy free doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to enjoy fast food. Check out our Dairy Free Fast Food Guide for tips on eating at your favorite places on the go. 

It’s the holidays and you are out shopping all day long. You happen to get stuck in rush hour traffic. The doctor’s office took too long and now the kids are screaming they are hungry.  You. Just. Don’t. Feel. Like. Cooking. There are a bajillion different reasons that you may be in a pinch and need something quick to eat when you’re on the go. Our Dairy Free Fast Food Restaurant Guide. 

When looking for Dairy Free Fast Food, it’s likely that your former favorites are off the list; however, that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing you can have. And sometimes, they may be even better choices that you never tried before because you thought you already had a favorite. 

Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered with all the delicious dairy free fast food things you can still have at your favorite place.  *Note: This will be an ongoing list and we will continue to add restaurants as we can. If you’re favorite isn’t listed below, leave a comment and we’ll work on it right away.

5 Tips for Dairy Free Fast Food Eating

1. Ask for the ingredient list or allergen information.  Almost all restaurants should be able to provide you with a copy of this at the time of service. 
2. Ask the restaurant to have food cooks switch gloves and wipe down surfaces before making your food. You can also ask them to clean the grill and switch utensils. 
3. Think outside American Food. Many “ethnic” fast food restaurants have many more options that your typical American Food.  Think Chinese, Japanese, and Thai. Indian food is also great, however, yogurt is used in many of their dishes, like Indian Lassi, so just ask which ones do not, like Dahl. 
4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask, reask, and clarify one more time about procedures, ingredients, and anything else that you need to know. Understand that during rush hour, this will be harder, but you still have a right to be served. 
5. Double check your food before you take a bite! Everyone makes mistakes. Before you chomp down, glaze over your food and make sure nothing was added that you requested not be. 

Disclaimer on our Dairy Free Fast Food Guide:

This guide is not meant to be considered as medical advice. Make It Dairy Free does not guarantee or take on any liable responsibility for the accuracy of the information below. This Dairy Free Fast Food Guide is simply a starting point and the reader should use caution when purchasing all foods they consume. 

Please consult your doctor or your child’s pediatrician. Depending on the severity of the milk allergy that you or your loved one has, it may be advised you take very special precautions. 

It’s important to note that in any restaurant, but especially in fast food restaurants, that cross contamination may happen with dairy products, especially cheese. 

The safest thing to do is to check the ingredient list or allergen pamphlet at the fast food restaurant every time you go. Fast food restaurants are known to add, change, or update products often and updates to our site may not always happen as quickly as they change. We do our best to provide the most accurate information possible. 

While we did our absolute best to make sure this information is accurate, based on research, we cannot guarantee correctness. 

This information was obtained from the restaurant chain websites, customer service, or other printed data. We have listed the foods that were identified by the respective fast food chains as not containing milk ingredients, and wherever possible, those that have also been noted as high risk for cross-contamination. However, as a third-party reporter, we do not and cannot guarantee their accuracy. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you see information that is not up to date. 

This list only covers dairy allergies and is currently only for US based restaurants. We will be adding in other countries in the future. Please note that even if you have one of these restaurants in your country, the ingredients may differ.

Dairy Free Fast Food Guide

This list is in alphabetical order:

Arbys

• Breakfast: Bacon, French Toast Sticks
• Sides: Applesauce, Curly Fries, Homestyle Fries, Potato Cakes
  
• Breads- Harvest Wheat Buns, Hearty Grain Wrap, Honey Wheat Bread, Marble Rye Bread, Onion Roll, Sesame Seed Bun, Sourdough Breakfast Bread, Split Top Bun, Star Cut Bun, Sub Roll, Texas Toast
• Meat – Angus Beef, Arby-Q, Corned Beef, Genoa Salami, Gyro Meat, Pecan Chicken Salad, Pepper Bacon, Pepperoni, Pit Smoked Ham, Prime Cut Chicken Tenders, Roast Beef, Roast Turkey, Smoked Brisket, Smokehouse Beef Short Rib

*The same fryers are used for dairy and non-dairy products. Buns processed on same equipment as dairy products.

Burger King 

• Breakfast: Hash Browns, French Toast Sticks, Bacon, Ham, Milkd Sausage, Spicy Sausage
• Kid’s Meals: PB&J Jamwich, Hamburger King Jr. Meal, Chicken Nuggets King Jr. Meal
• Sides: Applesauce, French Fries
• Salads: Garden Salad
• Breads: Potato Buns, Sesame Buns, Speciality Buns
• Burgers: Whopper, Double Whopper, Whopper Jr, Hamburgers
• Chicken: BBQ Bacon Crispy Chicken, Chicken Fries, Chicken Jr, Chicken Nuggets, Crispy Chicken, Grilled Chicken
• Desserts: Dutch Apple Pie 

*The same fryers are used for dairy and non-dairy products.

Chick-fil-A

• Breakfast: Hashbrowns, Sunflower Multigrain Bagel
• Kid’s Meals: Grilled Chicken Nuggets Kids Meal
• Sides: Applesauce, Fruit Cup, Waffle Fries, Side Salad, Superfood Side
• Salads: Grilled Chicken Grilled Market Salad (ask for no cheese), Spicy Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken (ask for no cheese and used Chili Lime Vinaigrette instead of Creamy Salsa)
• Breads: Gluten Free Bun
• Entrees: Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap (ask for no cheese and one of the dressings below instead of Avocado Dressing), Grilled Chicken Nuggets, Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• Salad Dressings: Light Balsamic, Light Italian, 
• Sauces: BBQ Sauce, Chick-fil-A Sauce, Honey Mustard Sauce, Ketchup, Polynesian, Sriracha
• Salad Toppings: Charred Tomato Crispy Red Peppers, Chili Lime Pepitas, Harvest Nut Granola
• Speciality Drinks: Lemonade and Sweet Tea 
• Desserts: Currently none

*Fries and Hashbrowns are cooked separate from any dairy products.

Chipotle

• Sides: Black Beans, Brown Rice, Chips and Guacamole, Chips and Salsa, Pinto Beans, White Rice
  
• Breads: Flour Tortilla (Both sizes), Crispy Corn Tortilla
• Entrees: Barbacoa, Carnitas, Chicken, Sofritas, Steak
• Sauces: All Salsas, Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette, Guacamole

*You can order most anything on their menu as long as you don’t add cheese, queso, or sour cream. 

KFC

• Sides: Applesauce, BBQ Baked Beans, Cole Slaw, Corn on the Cob, Green Beans, Macaroni Salad, Potato Salad, Potato Wedges, Sweet Kernel Corn
• Salads: House Side Salad (ask for no croutons and Light Italian Dressing)
  
• Regular Chicken: Extra Crispy, Kentucky Grilled, Spicy Crispy 
• Hot Honey Chicken: Extra Crispy, Kentucky Grilled, Spicy Crispy
  
• Georgia Gold: Extra Crispy, Kentucky Grilled, Spicy Crispy
• Nashville Hot Chicken: Extra Crispy, Kentucky Grilled, Spicy Crispy
• Smokey Mountain BBQ Chicken: Extra Crispy, Kentucky Grilled, Spicy Crispy
• Hot Wings: Fiery Buffalo, Georgia Gold, HBBQ, Hot Honey, Hot Wings, Nashville Hot, Smoky Mountain BBQ
• Extra Crispy Tenders: Regular, Georgia Fold, Hot Honey, Nashville Hot, Smoky Mountain BBQ
• Sandwiches: Chicken Littles, Colonel’s Crispy Sandwich, Georgia Gold Chicken Littles, Georgia Gold, Hot Honey Chicken Littles, Hot Honey, Nashville Hot Chicken Littles, Nashville Hot, Smoky Mountain BBQ Chicken Littles, Smoky Mountain BBQ 
• Go Cups: Chicken Littles, Extra Crispy Tenders, Fiery Buffalo Hot Wings, HBBQ Hot Wings, Hot Wings
• Sauces: Finger Lickin’ Good Dipping Sauce Cup, Grape Jelly, Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, Honey Sauce, Ketchup, Lemon Juice Packet, Strawberry Jam, Summertime BBQ Dipping Sauce Cup, Sweet n Tangy Dipping Sauce Cup  
• Dessert: Apple Turnover

*For the chicken, it includes breast, drumsticks, thighs, and whole wings. Inquire about each individuals stores cross contamination in fryers with milk products. 

McDonald’s

• Breakfast: Egg Whites, Sausage Patty, Scrambled Eggs (*Folded Eggs Contain Dairy)
• Kid’s Meals: *Kids Meals Must Have Apple Slices as Side as McDonald’s Fries contain dairy.  Hamburger, Chicken Nuggets
• Sides: Apple Slices
• Salads: Side Salad
• Breads*: Regular Bun, Sesame Seed Bun, Bagel, Flour Tortilla, McMuffin
• Entrees: Hamburger, Chicken Nuggets, McChicken, Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon can be added to any sandwich
• Speciality Drinks:
• Desserts: Baked Apple Pie

*McDonalds French Fries contain Dairy. Chicken Nuggets and McChickens are cooked in the same oil as other products containing milk.  Bagels and McMuffins get butter spread on them after toasted, simply ask for no butter. Regular and Sesame Seed Buns may cross contaminate when being toasted. You can ask for non-toasted buns.

Moe’s Southwest Grill

• Sides: Black Beans, Cilantro Lime Rice, Chips and Guacamole, Chips and Salsa, Pinto Beans, Seasoned Rice
  
• Breads: Flour Tortilla (Both sizes), Whole Grain Tortilla
• Entrees: Adobo Chicken, Bacon Pieces, Fish, Pork Carnitas, Steak, Tofu
• Sauces: All Salsas, Southwest Vinaigrette, Guacamole

*You can order most anything on their menu as long as you don’t add: beef, cheese, chipotle ranch sauce, queso, or sour cream. Veggies are cooked on a separate grill than meat products.

Panera

*Panera states that they cannot contain any products are free from allergens because they share equipment and ask that you discuss your allergen with staff prior to ordering.  We’ve listed below items that you can order that should not contain dairy, but because of different distributors, you should ask each location individually for allergen information. 

• Bagels: Blueberry, Cranberry Walnut, Everything, Plain, Sesame, Sprouted Grain, Whole Grain
• Breads: Artisan Ciabatta, Country Rustic, Farmstyle XL Loaf, French Baguette, Sourdough, Sprouted Grain Roll, Tomato Basil, Whole Grain, 
  
• Breakfasts: Steel Cut Oatmeal with Apple Chips and Pecans, Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries and Pecans, Steel Cut Oatmeal with Almonds, Quinoa & Honey
• Salads: Ancient Grain & Arugula Salad with Chicken, Asian Sesame Salad with Chicken, Chinese Citrus Cashew Salad, Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken (ask for no Gorgonzola), Modern Greek Salad with Quinoa (no feta) Seasonal Greens Salad, Spicy Thai Salad
• Dressings: Asian Sesame Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigreete Dressing, Caesar Dressing, Champagne Shallot Vinaigrette, Fuji Apple Vinaigrette, Greek Dressing, Mediterranean Lemon Vinaigrette, Poppyseed, Tangerine Honey, Thai Chili Lime Vinaigrette
• Panera Kids: Kids Turkey Chili Soup, Kids Chicken Noodle Soup, Kids Peanut Butter and Jelly, Kids Seasonal Greens Salad
• Pastries & Sweets: Currently all products say contain milk or processed on same equipment.
• Sandwiches: (see above about which breads are dairy free) Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich (ask for no feta or sourdough or ciabatta) Peanut Butter and Jelly, Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich, Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT, Tuna Salad Sandwich, Turkey Sandwich
• Bowls: Lentil Quinoa Broth Bowl with Chicken, Lentil Quinoa Broth Bowl with Egg, Soba Noodle Broth Bowl with Chicken, Soba Noodle Broth Bowl with Edamame, Vegan Lentil Quinoa Broth Bowl
• Soups: Black Bean Soup, Chicken Kale & Sweet Potato Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, Garden Vegetable Soup, Minestrone Soup with Chickpeas and Kale, Southwest Chicken Tortilla Bowl (seasonal item), Turkey Chili with Beans, Turkey Sausage Kale & Quinoa Soup
• Sides: Fresh Fruit Cup
• Speciality Drinks:  Green Passion Smoothie, Peach and Blueberry Smoothie with Almond Milk
  

Popeyes

• Kid’s Meals: Get Up & Geaux Kids
• Sides: Apple Sauce, Baguette, Cajun Fries, Cajun Rice, Cole Slaw, Red Beans & Rice
• Entrees: Naked BBQ Chicken Po’ Boy, Naked Tenders, Naked Chicken Wrap
• Desserts: Pecan Pie

*Double check at store about cross contamination in fryers if ordering fries as their classic fried chicken contains milk.

Qdoba

• Can order burrito, taco, or salad bowl with corn or flour tortillas, chips or strips
• Sides: Apple Sauce, Black Beans, Brown Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, Guacamole, Pinto beans, Pico de Gallo, Potatoes
  
• Entrees: Fire Roasted Shrimp, Glazed Shrimp, Pulled Pork, Smoked Bacon, Smoked Beef Brisket
• Other: Fajita vegetables or Grilled vegetables
• Soups: Tortilla Soup
  
• Desserts: Brownie

Smoothie King

• Pineapple Spinach
• Lemon Ginger Spinach smoothie

Starbucks

• Plain or multigrain bagel
• Classic or blueberry oatmeal
• Lentils and Vegetables Protein Bowl with Brown Rice
• Seasonal harvest fruit blend

Subway 

• Any of the vegetables toppings 
• Breads: 9 Grain Wheat, 9 Grain Honey Oat, Biscuits, Gluten Free, Harvest, Hearty Italian, Roasted Garlic, Sourdough, White Italian
• Wraps: Habanero, Spinach, Tomato Bail, Wheat
• Eggs White Patty
• Pork Meats:  Bacon Strips, Black Forest Ham, Breakfast Sausage, Pepperoni, BBQ Pulled Pork, BBQ Rib Patty
• Chicken Meats: Plain Chicken Strips, Roasted Chicken Patty, Rotisserie-Style Chicken, Teriyaki Glazed Chicken Strips, Chicken Salad, Buffalo Chicken Chicken Strips, Orchard Chicken Salad
• Other Meats/Proteins: Cold Cut Combo Meats, Corned Beef, Egg Salad, Falafel, Italian BMT® Meats, Pastrami, Roast Beef, Seafood Sensation, Spicy Italian Meats, Steak, Tuna, Turkey Breast
• Veggie Delite on Italian bread with no cheese
• Some locations have Malibu Garden (vegan patty topped with fire roasted tomato sauce.
• Some locations have Black Bean Sub (vegan patty topped with sweet potato curry sauce)
• Sides: Apple Slices, Some Potato Chips
• Desserts: Gluten Free Brownie

Taco Bell 

• “Fresco style”: Bean Burrito, Beef Soft or Crunchy Taco, Chicken Burrito Supreme, Steak Burrito Supreme, Shredded Chicken Taco, Steak Taco
• Black Bean Burrito no cheese
• Veggie Cantina Power Bowl (no sauce)
• 7 Layer Bean Burrito (make it 5 layers – ask for no cheese, no sour cream), 
• Tacos, nachos, crunchwrap supreme and mexican pizza hold the meat (substitute beans), no cheese or sour cream.
• Sides: Black beans, Chips and Guacamole, Chips and Pico de Gallo, Cilantro Rice, Mexican rice, Refried Beans, Seasoned Fries (no cheese sauce)
• All salsas
• Speciality Drinks: These Freezes – Beach Berry, Berry Sangria, Blue Raspberry, Lemonade, Margarita, Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew Baja Blast, Orange Cream Pop, Pepsi, Pina Colada, Red Cherry, Skittles, Watermelon
• Desserts: Cinnamon Twists

You can order “Fresco Style” which means no sauce, sour cream, or cheese.

Wendy’s

• Kids’ Meals: Nuggets, Chicken Tenders, and Hamburger*
• Sides: Apple Bites, French Fries, Plain Baked Potato, Seasoned Homestyle Potatoes, Summer Berry Burst Fruit Cup
• Burgers: Jr. Hamburger
• Chicken, Crispy Chicken Nuggets, Chicken Tenders, Grilled Chicken Breast, Homestyle Chicken Breast, Spicy Chicken Sandwich
• Garden Salad with Red Italian Dressing
• Veggie Sandwich (Veggies in between bun -there’s a button for it)
  

*Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers are cooked on same equipment so see note above in the tips about asking to clean if severe allergy.  Buns are toasted in common toasted with products containing milk. You can request an untoasted bun.

White Castle

• Impossible Sliders (No Cheese)
• Burgers – Beef Patty, Turkey Slider Patty (limited locations), Bacon, Traditional Bun
• Dr. Praeger’s Veggie Patty 
• French Fries and Sweet Potato Fries (*Note that the fries do not contain milk, but White Castle lists them as cross contamination since cooked in the same oil as products that do contain dairy) 
• Onion Chips 
• Onion Rings (*Note that the onion rings do not contain milk, but White Castle lists them as cross contamination since cooked in the same oil as products that do contain dairy. **The Onion Rings in NY/NJ regions DO contain milk)
• Hashbrown Nibblers (*Note that the hashbrowns do not contain milk, but White Castle lists them as cross contamination since cooked in the same oil as products that do contain dairy.) 
• Eggs
• Wheat Toast 
• Snack and Go Applesauce Pouch
  
  

While we know this dairy free fast food guide isn’t a complete listing for all the restaurants here, we do hope it was helpful.  We will be updating our dairy free fast food guide as often as possible to continue bringing you the best options while eating dairy free at home and out.

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