You Won’t Believe These Fast-Food French Fries Are Vegan: Our 2026 Ultimate Guide

If it weren’t for potatoes, we’d be hungrier people. While delicious in any form, fries hold a special place in our hearts; they’re carb-y, salty, deep-fried, and have saved us from having to settle for salads at many fast-food restaurants. But, sadly, not all fries are vegan. We’re here to tell you which ones are.

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Are French fries vegan?

All fries should be vegan, right? After all, they’re just fried, salted potatoes. While many fries are free from animal ingredients, sometimes they contain dairy or may be fried in lard.

Jay Gajjar

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In most cases, the fries you order from a fast-food restaurant are cooked in the same oil that’s used to fry meat and other animal products. Some vegans avoid ordering food that may be cross-contaminated, but others are okay with this as long as the fries themselves don’t contain meat or dairy ingredients. It’s a choice that’s ultimately up to the individual.

Which fast-food French fries aren’t vegan?

While most fries are vegan, there are a few that actually contain animal ingredients:

• McDonald’s: These fries are cooked in oil with “natural beef flavoring,” which doesn’t contain any actual meat but does contain dairy.
• Checkers: These fries are coated in milk powder and fried in animal lard, so they’re unambiguously not vegan.
• Popeye’s: Just like the majority of Popeye’s menu, these fries are not vegan. In this case, they’re fried in beef tallow.

This isn’t a definitive list of which fries contain animal products. If you’re visiting a smaller chain or a local fast-food establishment, be sure to ask your server about the ingredients.

14 vegan fast-food French fries to add to your order

We dug through the top fast-food chains in the US to uncover which ones have vegan fries. In no particular order, here are 14 fast-food fries that are free from animal-derived ingredients.

Burger King

1 Burger King

Unlike its competitor McDonald’s, Burger King has vegan fries. Served piping hot and salted, you won’t have to eat them alone since the Impossible Whopper has been on Burger King’s menu since the summer of 2019. Apart from a burger and fries, you’ll find a few other vegan options at Burger King that will ensure you don’t have to endure hunger pangs.

Chick-fil-A

2Chick-fil-A

Best known for its chicken sandwiches, Chick-fil-A does not offer much when it comes to vegan options. Those looking for animal-free fare will be relegated to the sides menu. Luckily, the chain’s signature waffle fries, fried in canola oil, are suitable for vegans. The breakfast hash browns are also plant-based. Check out our guide to Chick-fil-A’s vegan options for the chain’s full offerings.

Wendy’s

3 Wendy’s

We may not know if Wendy’s black bean burger will ever make a return or debut nationwide, but we do know one thing: the fries are vegan. Wendy’s fries differ from other fast-food fries in that they leave the skin on. We’re about it. Check out our vegan guide to Wendy’s for even more animal-free options from the chain. 

KFC

4 KFC 

It may be known for fried chicken, but KFC gets credit for putting vegan fries on the menu. The Secret Recipe Fries are seasoned with a “secret blend of herbs and spices,” according to the website. But what that really means is that they’re tossed with onion, carrot, tomato powder, and a little bit of MSG. The cult-favorite potatoes wedges—beloved for their crisp exterior and fluffy interior—are also suitable for vegans. Beyond fries, the chain’s vegan options are rather sparse. Unless you’re in a pinch, go elsewhere for sustenance; but if you’re looking for a quick bite in between meals, check out our vegan guide to KFC for the low down on vegan-friendly options. 

Hardee’s

5 Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s

Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s both share incredibly similar menus—both chains happen to be owned by the same parent company, which has chosen to market them in practically the same way. Both have natural-cut fries, but only Carl’s Jr. offers waffle fries. Thankfully, all fry options are vegan, but unfortunately, both Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s have discontinued the vegan-friendly Beyond Famous Star.

Taco Bell

6 Taco Bell

Yes, Taco Bell has fries! The Nacho Fries are known to come and go, so give them a try the next time you spot them on the menu, just be sure to omit the dairy queso they come with. Hungry for more? With just a few tweaks, you can enjoy a plant-based meal at the chain. Learn how to order vegan at Taco Bell with our trusty guide. 

Five Guys

7 Five Guys

At Five Guys, there are two types of vegan fries to choose from. There’s the regular option, which is deep-fried in peanut oil before being salted. Then, there are the Cajun-style fries which are also fried in oil and then seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, paprika, oregano, white pepper, and red pepper powder. As for other vegan options, Five Guys is one of those fast-food chains where you’ll have to make do with just fries.

In-N-Out Burger

8 In-N-Out Burger

Although it’s only located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Idaho and Texas, In-N-Out Burger has earned a name for itself in the fast-food world. If you ever find yourself near one, unfortunately, you won’t be able to get a burger, but the fries are vegan since they’re only fried in sunflower oil. 

Jack in the Box

9 Jack in the Box

Jack in the Box offers two different fries to choose from. The French fries and seasoned curly fries don’t contain beef tallow or any other kind of animal-based ingredients, for that matter. Plus, the hash browns are vegan, too.

Arby’s

10 Arby’s

This meat-centric establishment has a surprising number of vegan options, including fries. Both the crinkle-cut fries and the curly fries—a rare white whale on fast-food menus—are free from animal-based ingredients. Plus, depending on your location, you might find a third, regional option: the thick-cut homestyle fries.

Sonic Drive-In

11Sonic Drive-In

The regular fries at Sonic are vegan and primed for dipping into ketchup. But if you’re seeking potatoes in another form, then you’ll be glad to know that the tater tots are also made with just plant-based ingredients.

Shake Shack

12Shake Shack

Shake Shack’s plain crinkle cut fries are vegan. If you’re looking for a little more sustenance, with a few modifications, Shake Shack’s vegetarian burgers can be ordered vegan. For more on how to order vegan, check our guide to Shake Shack here.

Dairy Queen

13 Dairy Queen

No animal fat here—Dairy Queen’s fries and hash browns are both vegan. You won’t find many other animal-free options here, but surprisingly, Dairy Queen has a non-dairy version of its Dilly Bar, so you can indulge in a salty-and-sweet combination of French fries and ice cream. 

Whataburger

14 Whataburger

Fries are one of the few things on the Whataburger menu that are actually vegan. You can pair your spuds with a cheese-less garden salad and some apple sauce, but not much else.