Earlier this year, Denny’s quietly launched vegan pancakes as part of its Plant-Based Pancake Slam. The Slam leans in a more wholesome direction and features crispy hash browns, seasonal fruit, and two multigrain wheat pancakes made with flaxseeds, cinnamon, and brown sugar. According to Kristin Shannon, Denny’s menu director, it’s already a customer favorite. “Guests are raving about the flavor of this pancake,” she said. 

The Plant-Based Pancake Slam is a welcome addition to the Denny’s menu, which, historically, has not offered many choices for those abstaining from meat, dairy, and eggs. After all, the 24/7 diner is perhaps best known for its hearty breakfasts stacked with eggs and bacon, jumbo burgers, cheese-dripping sandwiches, and crispy fries.

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However, this is not the first time Denny’s has added a vegan item to its menu. In 2019, Denny’s began trialing Beyond Burgers in Los Angeles. The juicy, beef-like vegan patties were loaded with tomatoes, onions, and pickles, served on a multigrain bun. The dish came with All American sauce and American cheese by default, both of which could be removed to make it fully vegan. The following January, the Beyond Burger rolled out to more than 1,700 Denny’s locations across the US and Canada—but it wouldn’t last. By 2023, the plant-based patty was removed from the menu.

So, does Denny’s still serve plant-based meat?

Since removing the Beyond Burger, Denny’s hasn’t introduced a new plant-based meat option. Some, like recipe blog Wholy Goodness, have speculated that the decision was driven by declining sales. Market saturation may have played a role—Burger King launched its Impossible Whopper in 2019, and McDonald’s began trialing its Beyond Meat–based McPlant in 2022. The high cost of the Beyond Burger may also have been a factor.

Still, if you’re looking for a vegan burger at Denny’s, you won’t walk away disappointed. The chain now offers Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burger. It doesn’t aim to mimic meat, but it delivers a classic veggie patty texture made with ingredients like carrots, zucchini, peas, and broccoli.

Plant-based food options at Denny’s

Want to find out what else Denny’s has to offer? Find a more detailed list of all of its plant-based options below. 

Important note: There is bacon on Denny’s grills. Its allergen guide reads, “We season our grills with vegetable oil from our fryers and with bacon. Vegetable oil includes but is not limited to soybean, canola, and cottonseed oils.”

Denny’s

Plant-based pancakes

As mentioned above, in 2025, Denny’s added plant-based pancakes to the menu. You can order them as part of The Plant-Based Pancake Slam, which comes with seasonal fruit and hash browns, or you can order them as they are and jazz them up with mix-ins like bananas or fresh strawberries.

Breakfast sides

If you’re not in the mood for pancakes, you do have a few other options. You can opt for white or 7-grain toast, for example, with strawberry jelly and fresh seasonal fruit. The hash browns are also plant-based, and so are the English muffins (served plain, without butter).

Wholy Goodness

Dr. Praeger’s Veggie Patty

If you want to try one of Denny’s Dr. Praeger’s Veggie Patties, just order one of the chain’s burger options and make sure to specify you would like a veggie burger in place of beef. You can also request the burger, which comes with pickles, onions, lettuce, and tomatoes, without cheese. 

Lunch and dinner sides

Of course, a burger isn’t complete without sides. Plant-based options include seasoned fries, wavy cut French fries, Garden Side Salad (make sure to ask for this without cheese), and broccoli. 

Sauces and dressings

Add a little flavor to your meal by loading up on Denny’s plant-based sauces and dressings. Examples of vegan choices include barbecue sauce, bourbon sauce, balsamic vinaigrette, Italian fat-free dressing, and mustard.