If it werent for potatoes, wed be hungrier people. While delicious in any form, fries hold a special place in our hearts; theyre 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. Were here to tell you which ones are.

Jump to the chains

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

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In most cases, the fries you order from a fast-food restaurant are cooked in the same oil thats 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 dont contain meat or dairy ingredients. Its a choice thats ultimately up to the individual.

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

McDonalds: These fries are cooked in oil with natural beef flavoring, which doesnt contain any actual meat, but it does contain dairy.

Checkers: Their fries are coated in milk powder and fried in animal lard, so theyre unambiguously not vegan.

Popeyes: Just like the majority of Popeyes menu, the fries are not vegan. In this case, theyre fried in beef tallow.

This isnt a definitive list of which fries contain animal products. Ask your server about the ingredients if youre visiting a smaller chain or a local fast-food establishment.

We dug through the top fast-food chains in the US to uncover which ones have vegan fries. In no particular order, here are 13 fast-food fries that are free from animal-derived ingredients.

Burger King

Unlike its competitor McDonalds, Burger King has vegan fries.

Served piping hot and salted, you wont have to eat them alone since the Impossible Whopper has been on Burger Kings menu since the summer of 2019.

Apart from a burger and fries, youll find a few other vegan options at Burger King that will ensure you dont have to endure hunger pangs.

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 theyre tossed with onion, carrot, tomato powder, and a little bit of MSG. Beyond fries, the chains vegan options are rather sparse. Unless youre in a pinch, go elsewhere for sustenance; but if youre looking for a quick bite in between meals, check out our vegan guide to KFC for the low down on vegan-friendly options.

In the meantime, well also be waiting for Beyond Fried Chicken to return in some way, shape, or form.

Wendys

We may not know if Wendys black bean burger will ever make its debut, but we do know one thing: the fries are vegan.

Wendys fries differ from other fast-food fries in that they leave the skin on. Were about it.

There are a few other plant-based options on Wendys menu that can help you round out your meal. If you need more to your meal, you could get a baked potato and have a starch-filled meal of both fried and baked spuds. And there may not be a veggie burger, but the Premium Bun is vegan.

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. Traditionally, vegans have had to omit the dairy cheese to make this menu item plant-based, but in October 2023, the chain launched Vegan Nacho Friescomplete with dairy-free quesonationwide. For even more oomph, gussy up your fries with pico de gallo and guacamole.

At the time of writing, Taco Bell has since removed the Vegan Nacho Fries and dairy Nacho Fries from its menu, but be sure to keep an eye out for their return. The chain has yet to confirm if the dairy-free queso will make a comeback, but were keeping our fingers crossed. In the meantime, learn how to order vegan at Taco Bell with our trusty guide.

Five Guys

At Five Guys, there are two types of vegan fries to choose from. Theres 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 youll have to make do with just fries.

In-N-Out Burger

Although its only located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, 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 wont be able to get a burger, but the fries are vegan since theyre only fried in sunflower oil.

Arbys

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

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

Dairy Queen

No animal fat hereDairy Queens fries and hash browns are both vegan. You wont 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.

Jack in the Box

Get ready, because Jack in the Box has a whopping three fries to choose from. The French fries, seasoned curly fries, and the potato wedges dont contain beef tallow or any other kind of animal-based ingredients, for that matter. Plus, the hash browns are vegan, too.

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 slices, but not much else.

Hardees

Carls Jr. and Hardees both share incredibly similar menusboth chains happened 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 while Carls Jr. has waffle fries, Hardees has curly fries. All of them are vegan, but unfortunately, only Carls Jr. sells the Beyond Burger to help round out your meal.

Its not always fun eating just fries, but we appreciate how fries have been there to satiate our hunger in desperate times.

Shake Shack

In 2023, Shake Shacks menu additions made the fast-casual chain slightly more vegan friendly. The company unveiled two dairy-free dessert options (a rarity among mainstream chains): a non-dairy chocolate shake and non-dairy chocolate custard, both made in collaboration with NotCo, a Chilean food-tech company. For a sweet-and-salty combo, opt for the plain crinkle cut frieswhich are vegan as isand a non-dairy shake. If youre looking for a little more sustenance, with a few modifications, Shake Shacks vegetarian burgers can be ordered vegan. For more on how to order vegan, check our guide to Shake Shack here.

Kat Smith is a Queens, NY-based freelance writer and editor who loves cooking and discovering local vegan hidden gems.

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13 Fast-Food Chains With Vegan French Fries: Quick, Cheap, and Plant-Based - VegNews