McDonald's isn't fully vegan globally, but offers increasing plant-based options like the McPlant in some countries (UK, parts of Europe/Australia), while in Australia, Fries and Hash Browns are often the only reliably vegan items, with no certified vegan burger nationally, despite petitions and trials of veggie burgers. The US discontinued their McPlant due to low sales, but the brand continues to explore plant-based trends, with varying availability by region.
McPlant® A vegan burger made with a juicy plant-based patty co-developed with Beyond Meat® featuring vegan sandwich sauce, ketchup, mustard, onion, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and a vegan alternative to cheese in a sesame seed bun. Vegan certified.
The McPlant also launched in numerous other international markets in 2022 including Australia, being offered in 270 restaurants across Victoria.
Unfortunately, no McDonald's menu items are certified as vegan or vegetarian. While some ingredients may not contain animal ingredients, we cannot guarantee that there will be no cross-contamination of ingredients during transportation, storage or preparation in our kitchens.
McDonald's offers limited vegan options, with availability varying significantly by country, but generally includes fries, hash browns, salads (without dressing), and sometimes the McPlant burger in international markets like the UK and Germany, though the US menu is less vegan-friendly, and cross-contamination is a concern everywhere.
However, after failing to ignite customer interest, McDonald's announced it would not be adding the McPlant to its national menu. This decision sparked debate, leaving many to wonder why the McPlant struggled to find its niche in the US market. McDonald's attributed the McPlant's demise to lackluster sales.
The nuggets are made from pea protein and coated in a wheat and cornflour breading. They are available at the same price as McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, and in the same formats (x4, x6, x9, and x20).
(Both restaurants acknowledge that their fries are cooked in the same oil as other meat or fish products.) McDonald's fries, however, are made with a flavoring that includes hydrolyzed milk — a non-vegan ingredient.
KFC Australia has launched its first ever plant-based option — Wicked Popcorn. The meat-free bites are made with pea protein and feature the same spice mix as the chain's Wicked Wings.
Our range of vegan-friendly items contain no animal products (meat, dairy or eggs), and we've got procedures in place to prevent cross contamination when frying, grilling and handling. Options include: Our Chips (even our salt! Double tick!!)
Yes, Jollibee is finally set to open its first Australian store, with plans progressing for a location in Campbelltown, Sydney, following council approval for a redevelopment that will also host Taco Bell and Krispy Kreme. While there's no confirmed construction start date yet, development consent is active until July 2029, signaling a strong push for the long-awaited entry of the Filipino fast-food giant into the Australian market, famous for its Chickenjoy.
Jenni Dill, Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald's Australia, commented “The McVeggie Burger is packed full of Australian grown veggies with the crunchy patty including potatoes, peas, corn, carrot and onion.
CosMc's was a short-lived, beverage-focused spinoff restaurant from McDonald's, named after an old alien mascot, designed to compete with Starbucks by offering specialty drinks and snacks in a smaller format. Launched in late 2023 as a "learning lab," it featured custom iced teas, lemonades, blended coffees, and unique treats like McPops and pretzel bites, but all locations were slated to close by mid-2025 due to performance issues, though some popular drinks might appear at regular McDonald's.
McDonald's: Vegan Or Not
We hate to break it to you -- McDonald's fries are not vegan.
McDonald's Hash Browns are not vegan or vegetarian. If you'd like more information, check out the Hash Browns ingredients page.
Standards to Help Promote Humane Slaughter of Beef, Chicken & Pork. The Company requires that, for raw material suppliers of beef, chicken and pork, slaughterhouses follow a practice of humanely stunning animals prior to slaughter (except to the extent prohibited for religious reasons).
Sides: Fries (in Australia they are vegan) Loaded fries - the one with guacamole and salsa.
Our Original Recipe Vegan Burger is back in over 900 restaurants from 4th January 2022. Unfortunately there are some restaurants that won't be able to sell it due to cooking and preparation methods. Click here to find a restaurant that offers our Vegan Burger on their permanent menu.
The healthiest takeaway options in Australia focus on grilled/roasted lean proteins, loads of fresh veggies, and whole grains/brown rice, avoiding deep-fried items, creamy sauces, and excessive sodium. Top choices include Vietnamese rice paper rolls, Japanese sashimi/sushi (with less rice), grilled chicken/fish with salad, and Lebanese/Turkish kebabs with plenty of salad and hummus, while controlling sauce portions. Chains like Roll'd, Sumo Salad, Grill'd, Nando's, and Oporto offer good choices if you pick wisely.
Are Chick-fil-A fries vegan? Yes! Chick-fil-A's Waffle Potato Fries are vegan!
A potato is vegan until you make it NOT vegan🤦🏽. Chandrika Ervin Cooper ... if you fry the vegetable in a "vegetable" oil than it would still be "vegan". It would no longer be "raw" As long as a "non-meat based" fat is used, all veggies, tofu/soy would still be considered "vegan".
Fast Food is a part of American culture. But that doesn't mean it has to be unhealthy, and that we can't make better choices. Did you know that McDonald's used to use beef tallow to make their fries from 1940 until phasing it out in favor of seed oils in 1990?
What's in a McDonald's McFlurry? A typical (non-vegan) McDonald's McFlurry contains dairy ice cream, milk power, whey powder, glucose syrup, and other flavoring. You can see the full list of ingredients here (though this is subject to change).
The trial run of the McPlant in the United States was discontinued in August 2022, reportedly due to low sales.
VEGAN ITEMS AT MCDONALDS:
Baked Apple Pie: Now free from animal-derived ingredients. However, please double-check cooking-oil or cross-contact in your location if that's a concern. Fruit & Maple Oatmeal: if you request it without cream or dairy.