5 Delicious Vegetarian Fast Food Choices Beyond Salads

Under the best circumstances, finding vegetarian options while dining out can be challenging to say the least. Even as restaurants have added vegetarian items to their menus and included labeling for specific dietary requirements, it can still be difficult to find anything beyond a plain salad on the vegetarian menu. When it comes to fast food, the pickings are even slimmer for vegetarian diners. In the past, many vegetarians were relegated to eating fries and even then, at chains such as McDonald’s, french fries aren’t meat-free. 

There have been some improvements to vegetarian fast food options, thanks to the popularization plant-based substitutes such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods meat alternative products. Even so, it can still seem impossible to get the same satisfaction from fast food as a vegetarian diner. After all, a diet excluding meat doesn’t exclude the need for a treat every once in awhile, or the need for a quick snack on the go. Luckily, at many fast food places, you can now find vegetarian options that go beyond a sparse takeout container of greens. Not that salads can’t be tasty — but sometimes, only something rich and delicious will do. However, there are quite a few delicious and crave-worthy vegetarian items now available at many fast food chains. Here are five of the best.

It’s no secret that Burger King is, perhaps, king of the vegetarian fast food burger options.The chain released its first veggie burger in 2002. And though it wasn’t vegan, as the bun contained eggs, it was a clear step forward in fast food vegetarian dining. In 2019, the Impossible Whopper debuted in collaboration with Impossible Foods. The Impossible Whopper is a great and tasty vegetarian option for Burger King diners, featuring a deliciously flame-grilled patty on a sesame seed bun, topped with pickles, ketchup, mayonnaise, lettuce, and onions. And unlike McDonald’s , the fries at Burger King are also vegetarian, as they’re fried in soy, canola, corn, and cottonseed oils.

You can also add the Impossible patty to various other menu items, taking them from meaty to vegetarian. Now, there is the complicating matter of surfaces. While the Impossible Whopper contains no meat, it is grilled on the same surface as meat products, so there is no way to ensure that there is no cross contamination. However, you can ask for your burger to be cooked without using the same broiler if this is an issue. You can also make your Whopper vegan by removing the mayonnaise, not adding cheese, and requesting a different cooking surface be used. Altogether, Burger King offers up some seriously delicious items to vegetarian diners who are in desperate need of a burger.

The vegetarian and vegan salads at Chipotle are delicious, but they aren’t your only vegetarian option at the pioneering fast-casual chain. In fact, you can order, in some variation, almost anything off of Chipotle’s menu. In particular, the chain’s burritos and burrito bowls make great vegetarian options. For the base, its tortillas and rice offerings are both vegan. Toppings such as its beans, both pinto and black, are also vegan. And in 2014, the chain started carrying sofritas as a vegan protein option. Sofritas consists of tofu that is spiced with seasonings; it has a crumbled, meat-like consistency that makes it a great choice for vegetarians who aren’t too keen on a bean-only option. You can also order sofritas as the protein for tacos and quesadillas.

If beans or sofritas aren’t your thing, you can opt for fajita vegetables as your main topping of choice. To this, you can add a myriad of salsas and other toppings like guac — which may be extra, but is also vegan. So are the chain’s chips, if you’re looking for a plant-based snack.

Founded in 2010, Cava serves up Mediterranean-inspired dishes. In recent years, Cava has become a fast-casual standout and as of 2025, there are 377 locations across the United States. Most locations are on the East Coast, though there are some locations in California, Arizona, and Colorado. And Cava is a wonderful option for vegetarian and vegan diners alike. While you can order a salad, the chain is beloved for its grain bowls and pitas, which are distinctly not salads and, depending on your tastes and preferences, can easily be made vegetarian or vegan.

In terms of meat-free proteins, you can top your grain bowl or pita (both vegan) with falafel or roasted veggies. There are also many vegan and vegetarian dip and topping options. The chain’s roasted eggplant dip is vegan, containing a mix of eggplant, onion, garlic, parsley, and lemon juice. Its hummus and harissa are also vegan. If you’re looking for some added protein, you can also add black lentils as a base, as one serving of these little legumes contains an impressive 17 grams of protein.

Taco Bell is a notoriously vegetarian-friendly fast food option. The chain’s menu is replete with beans, veggies, potatoes, tortillas, and flatbreads that are all vegetarian or vegan. There’s even a “veggie cravings” portion of its menu, which offers many meatless options. A standout among them is the bean burrito, which is filled with refried beans, cheese, onions, and red sauce. It is a staple for vegetarian diners, offering a simple but filling snack option. Usually, refried beans contain lard, or rendered pig fat. However, Taco Bell’s refried beans (and its black beans) are both certified vegan by an organization called the American Vegetarian Association. This certification means that the products don’t contain any meat-derived ingredients and are not processed with any ingredients sourced from animals or animal by-products. So you can rest assured that bean burrito truly is vegetarian.

But that’s not all Taco Bell has to offer. You can also grab a vegetarian-friendly Spicy Potato Soft Taco, a Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme, or Vegetarian Mexican Pizza. Each of these menu items is filling, tasty, and meat-free. And, if you remove dairy ingredients such as cheese, sour cream, and sauces such as its Creamy Chipotle sauce, Spicy Ranch, and Avocado Ranch, you can make these menu items vegan as well. In fact, you can make almost any Taco Bell menu item vegan with a few key tweaks.

Despite its beverage-focused menu, Starbucks serves more than just a myriad of coffee and tea drinks. It’s a great place to grab a snack or lunch. And, yes, there are some pretty delicious vegetarian options on the menu. One of the best vegetarian foods Starbucks offers is the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich. It’s made with an Impossible brand meat-free sausage patty, topped with an egg and cheddar cheese, and sandwiched between a sesame ciabatta roll and is a great option for those looking for a high protein, vegetarian breakfast on the go.

Starbucks has other vegetarian food options, too. The chain’s selection of plain, sprouted grain, and raisin bagels are vegan. Its blueberry oatmeal is also vegan. And if you’re looking for a vegetarian snack that isn’t breakfast, you can choose from several of the chain’s protein boxes. In terms of vegetarian lunch options, you can grab a grilled cheese on sourdough or Tomato Mozzarella on Focaccia. The chain also released a vegan lunch option, the Spicy Falafel Pocket.As far as desserts go, the coffee shop’s signature cake pops, are vegetarian, as are its popular loaf cakes. So, you can rest assured that your next Starbucks visit will have plenty of meatless options available to you.