Chick-fil-A is famous for its fried chicken and waffle fries. You used to indulge to your heart’s content, ordering all the nuggets you could handle and a peach milkshake. But now that you’re on the vegan diet, your usual order is off the table. Luckily, there are still a few menu items you could help yourself to without breaking your plant-based meal plan. If you’re wondering how to order vegan at Chick-fil-A, we’ve got you covered. Read on for seven menu items to sink your teeth into at the fast food chain.
How to Order Vegan at Chick-fil-A: 7 Menu Items to Crave
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Published Jun 22, 2023
A Quick Refresher on The Vegan Diet
Veganism calls for abstaining from the consumption of animal products. Of course, that means no meat, poultry or seafood, but it also includes foods that come from animals, like dairy, eggs and even honey for strict vegans. Instead, vegans rely on plant-based foods—like vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and legumes—for nutrition, ideally focusing on fiber- and protein-rich plant-based foods to make their diet as sustainable and satiating as possible.
Read on for seven menu items vegans can order at Chick-fil-A.
Chick-fil-A
1. Chick-fil-A Waffle Potato Fries
- Nutrition Information (small): 320 calories, 19g fat, 35g carbs, 4g protein, 0g sugar
- Make It Vegan: no modifications necessary
Vegans, rejoice: The chain’s beloved waffle fries are on your meal plan. Cooked in canola oil and sprinkled with sea salt, these irresistible gems are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Ask for a vegan-friendly dipping sauce (read on for the full list) or classic ketchup on the side. (The Waffle Potato Chips are vegan-friendly too, in case those are more your speed.)
Chick-fil-A
2. Kale Crunch Side Salad
- Nutrition Information: 170 calories, 12g fat, 13g carbs, 4g protein, 8g sugar
- Make It Vegan: no modifications necessary
Curly kale, green cabbage, roasted almonds and apple cider-Dijon mustard vinaigrette make a nutritious alternative to fries. It’s vegan as is but know that the Kale Crunch’s dressing is different from the packets of Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette—the latter includes honey, so it isn’t vegan-friendly.
3. Side Salad
- Nutrition Information (modifications not accounted for): 470 calories, 42g fat, 14g carbs, 6g protein, 5g sugar
- Make It Vegan: no cheese, substitute Avocado Lime Ranch dressing
This mix of greens, grape tomatoes, charred tomato and crispy red bell peppers is a plant-based option we can get behind. The salad comes with a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses and a packet of Avocado Lime Ranch dressing. Since both include dairy, you’ll have to skip them to make this side vegan. (We’re partial to the Chili Lime Vinaigrette as an alternative.)
Chick-fil-A
4. Spicy Southwest Salad
- Nutrition Information (without chicken): 590 calories, 47g fat, 27g carbs, 14g protein, 7g sugar
- Make It Vegan: no chicken, no cheese, substitute Creamy Salsa dressing
You’ll need to make a few mindful tweaks to this salad for it to become vegan-friendly, but it’s possible. Just nix the chicken, cheese and skip the Creamy Salsa dressing (which contains egg yolk) in favor of a plant-based dressing. You’ll be left with mixed greens, grape tomatoes, roasted corn, black beans, poblano chiles, red bell peppers, seasoned tortilla strips and chili lime pepitas.
Chick-fil-A
5. Market Salad
- Nutrition Information (without chicken): 440 calories, 29g fat, 40g carbs, 7g protein, 26g sugar
- Make It Vegan: no chicken, no cheese, no granola, substitute Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Skip the meat and dairy to turn this fruit-forward salad into a vegan meal. A mix of greens, red and green apples, strawberries, blueberries and roasted almonds will keep you satisfied. Just be sure to nix the chicken, cheese and the honey-based dressing and granola.
Chick-fil-A
6. Chick-fil-A Lemonade (Regular or Diet)
- Nutrition Information (medium, sweetened): 220 calories, 0g fat, 58g carbs, 0g protein, 55g sugar
- Make It Vegan: no modifications necessary
Water, lemon juice and sugar are the only ingredients in this summer sipper. Vegans who consume non-organic sugar can indulge all they’d like. (Some strict plant-based eaters avoid non-organic white sugar because it’s often bleached using animal bone char, a black, porous material made from charred animal bones, usually cattle.)
Chick-fil-A
7. Freshly Brewed Iced Tea (Sweetened or Unsweetened)
- Nutrition Information (medium, sweetened): 120 calories, 0g fat, 31g carbs, 0g protein, 31g sugar
- Make It Vegan: no modifications necessary
All it takes to make this thirst quencher is water and tea leaves, plus sugar if you get it sweetened. As long as you consume non-organic sugar, either version of the iced tea is on your diet. If you don’t, go for the unsweetened. (The same goes for all seasonal white peach drinks and Sunjoy, aka tea-lemonade, combinations.)
What Isn’t Vegan at Chick-fil-A
- Breakfast: The sandwiches, bowls, biscuits, parfaits and burritos all contain animal products. The only plant-based breakfast items you can have on the vegan diet are plain English muffins, hash browns and the fruit cup.
- Entrees: All the sandwiches, nuggets and wraps are made with chicken, so they’re off limits. And for the record, the buns contain both dairy and honey, so they aren’t vegan-friendly either.
- Salads: The Cobb Salad contains chicken, bacon, egg and cheese. Like the other salads above, you could ask for those items to be removed, but then you’ll only be left with greens, corn and tomatoes.
- Sides: Mac and cheese contains dairy, and both the chicken noodle soup and chicken tortilla soup contain poultry. Stick to the fries, fruit cup, Kale Crunch, applesauce or a modified side salad and you’ll be in the clear.
- Treats: Milkshakes, Frosted Lemonade, Frosted Coffee, Icedream items, the chocolate fudge brownie and the chocolate chunk cookie all contain dairy and can’t be modified, so they’re unfortunately off the menu for vegans.
- Drinks: As long as you consume non-organic sugar, nearly all of Chick-fil-A’s drinks are vegan-friendly. Just be sure not to get dairy in your coffee.
- Dipping Sauces and Dressings: Ketchup, mustard, Barbeque sauce, Polynesian sauce, Sweet & Spicy Sriracha sauce, Light Balsamic dressing, Light Italian dressing and Chili Lime Vinaigrette dressing are all vegan-friendly, as long as you consume non-organic sugar. The Chick-fil-A sauce contains egg, the Garden Herb Ranch contains egg and milk, the Honey Mustard contains honey and the Zesty Buffalo contains egg and milk, so steer clear of those. As for dressings, you’ll also want to dodge the Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce, the Avocado Lime Ranch, Creamy Salsa Dressing and the Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing.
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
