As a family, we allow our children to eat whatever they want when we go out. Every week, one of them gets a “Pizza and a Movie” night. That means they get to pick the food and the movie we watch. But is there food that a vegetarian can eat? Let’s look at the most popular fast-food places and figure it out.
Subway, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, and Burger King are the five largest restaurants not focusing on pizza or coffee (Starbucks, Dunkin’, Hunt’s Brothers, Domino’s, Pizza Hut).
Subway
I think our family has eaten at Subway fewer than five times. There was a deal during the pandemic where you could get two foot-longs for like $10 or something silly.
The first nice thing about Subway is that you can actually order a simple salad. It comes with cheese, and you can add more cheese or avocado for $1 each. It is $9, but you can ask for “more” of all the veggies. The dressing (sauce) isn’t anything crazy, but they do have options. Honestly, it is hard to do much better for a truly healthy meal while in a rush.
You can make this a foot-long sandwich for $11, and I’m guessing you get the same amount of vegetables. I think the part that always makes me mad is that you only get a $1 discount for not having meat on your sandwich. If you have a carnivore friend, you can get them 700 calories of meat for a dollar.
It’s sad, but I think the reason I don’t frequent Subway is because of the cost and the franchise structure. The sandwich or salad you get from one location may vary significantly from another.
McDonald’s
Breakfast is your best bet at McDonald’s.
Hotcakes, hash browns, oatmeal, and Egg McMuffins/biscuits/bagels/McGriddles are all valid options. You also have a plethora of drink options. I generally am not in a pinch to get breakfast, but if I was, McDonald’s would be a great choice.
Now, for the rest of the day, McDonald’s doesn’t give a shit about you.
You get French fries.
Sure, you can also order a “grilled cheese” by removing the meat patty from a cheeseburger. But this is relatively expensive, not a good value, and not a great sandwich.
I only stop at McDonald’s after breakfast if I want a McFlurry or hot fudge sundae (with nuts!).
Burger King
Burger King is very similar to McDonald’s. They have breakfast menu offerings, swapping croissants for McMuffins and French toast sticks for hotcakes. They also have some sweet miniature cinnamon rolls.
Burger King also offers French fries and onion rings for breakfast, along with hash browns. I haven’t had Burger King breakfast since I threw it up on a wrestling mat my freshman year of high school.
The one separator for Burger King is the Impossible Whopper. It is one of the few restaurants that offers a meat alternative. It is a very solid burger. However, you never know what burger you’re going to get, as you may get complete trash depending on your location.
I do love some random mozzarella sticks on the road, though.
Wendy’s
Wendy’s doesn’t seem to care too much about vegetarians, but they still do have unique options. Their breakfast is a combination of McDonald’s and Burger King, but their croissant sandwiches come with meat by default.
Wendy’s offers the best salad options. Obviously, make sure you exclude the included proteins, but they are high-quality options. You can also get a baked potato, which can be a unique and warm food option.
I wish they offered a veggie burger or really a spicy chicken alternative, as that is what I crave whenever I see a Wendy’s.
Taco Bell
The ultimate vegetarian fast-food destination.
The secret to Taco Bell is that every item is actually a vegetarian item. I don’t just mean that you can exclude the meat, I mean that you can swap black beans for any protein.
But it doesn’t stop there. They actually have a vegetarian menu with delicious items like the Spicy Potato Taco. I could literally eat these every day. The sauce is perfect, and the potatoes have a tremendous crunch and chew. They are also only $1.29. I usually get an extra one with my Make Your Own Luxe Box and still pay less than $10 for a meal after taxes.
Use the app, find deals, and make Taco Bell part of your regular rotation!
