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Veggie options at quick-service restaurant chains: an update on menu items at popular fast food and quick casual restaurant chains
Vegetarian Journal, April-June, 2008 by Jeanne Yacoubou
SINCE THE 1980s, THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE Group periodically asks major fast food and quick-service, casual restaurant chains for the latest information regarding the ingredients in their menu items. We recently contacted established chains as well as some new ones for this article.
Several restaurants told us that what patrons buy directly influences formulations, suppliers, and menu selections. Purchasing 'veggie-friendly' or vegetarian/ vegan-customizable menu offerings when dining out helps to keep these dishes on the menus and increase the number of 'veggie-friendly' selections.
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Not all menu items at every chain are mentioned in this report. We have listed foods and ingredients that may be of interest to vegetarians and/or vegans. For those menu offerings that we've indicated already contain eggs or milk, there may be ingredients present that come from other dairy sources (such as whey), but space does not permit a complete, detailed summary. We assume that the ingredient statements and other information provided to us by the chains are true, accurate, and complete. However, readers should be aware that changes may occur in ingredient formulations and suppliers at any time, so they should always consult the chains' websites, call customer service hotlines, or inquire at particular locations.
In some cases, restaurant chains tell us specific information about ingredients beyond what appears on their websites, and this information is contained in the entries. When The VRG does not have the information needed for us to properly classify an ingredient, we list it as coming from a "non-reported source." Readers should understand that, by this, we mean the ingredient may or may not be of animal, dairy, or egg origin.
If you see an unfamiliar ingredient listed here, you may consult The VRG's Guide to Food Ingredients for more information. The current edition is available for $6. Visit our website at <www.vrg.org> to purchase it or call The VRG at (410) 366-8343, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday. Also, look for updated entries to our Guide to Food Ingredients in our free e-mail newsletter to which readers may subscribe through our website at <www.vrg.org/vrgnews>.
A Note About Sugar
Some food ingredients may have been processed through the use of animal, egg, or dairy products. Sugar, for instance, may have been filtered through cow bone char. See Vegetarian Journal, Issue 4, 2007. Currently, there is not a way to be sure about the source of sugar, so we are not labeling it as an animal ingredient. However, those who are concerned should see the chart on pages 22 and 23. Note that organic sugar is not processed with bone char.
A Note About Eating Out
Be aware that you can never be '100% safe' when eating out. Some readers may feel more secure in restaurants that focus on vegetarian foods. See The Vegetarian Resource Group's website at <www.vrg.org> for a list of more than 2,700 restaurants in the United States and Canada.
Applebee's
When we first contacted Applebee's, the leading fast-casual restaurant chain, in January 2007 for this update, they sent us a list of 'vegetarian' menu items upon request. They referred to these as entrees that "can be made meatless or are meatless already: Chicken & Broccoli Pasta Alfredo, Chicken Fajita Roll-Up, Nachos Nuevos, Mozzarella Sticks, Veggie Patch Pizza, and Vegetable Fajitas con Sizzle."
When The VRG inquired further about these items, we were told that entree ingredients and preparation techniques vary widely from location to location and so no generalizations are possible. We received the following statement: "There are no dedicated fryers; potato items can be flied with meat items. There are protocols for sanitizing grill surfaces [but Applebee's cannot assure against cross-contamination]."
Applebee's sent us this disclaimer in March 2007: "Applebee's International, Inc., does not claim its products to be vegetarian, to meet the requirements for a vegetarian diet, or to meet the criteria for any other special dietary regimen. Dairy and egg products may be present in meatless recipes. Trace amounts of meat or animal products may be present as a result of preparation or cooking."
Of the menu items listed above, only the Vegetable Fajitas con Sizzle appears to be free of animal ingredients. The sauce is soy-based, and the tortilla is milk-free. Sour cream and cheese can be omitted. We could not get further information on how the vegetables are prepared in this menu item. Mexi-Rice, which contains no dairy or egg products, may accompany this entree if requested; however, it is unknown if a meat-based stock is used in the rice.
Baja Fresh
Baja Fresh is a chain of Mexican restaurants that opened in 1990 and now has close to 300 locations in more than 20 states. In October 2007, we spoke with Gloria Mendez, a Customer Relations Specialist at Baja Fresh.
Mendez told us that Baja Fresh does not provide a separate vegan menu. They do state on their website that they would be happy, upon request, to customize any menu item by omitting certain ingredients. This applies for in-house dining as well as their party packs.
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