The vegan options at A&W are basically nonexistent in the United States. A&W Canada seems to be getting all of the love when it comes to vegan/plant-based meat options.
February 2022: You may be seeing A&W hitting the headlines. Yes, they have debuted a 100% vegan burger… but it’s in Canada–NOT the U.S.
The A&W’s in the U.S. did try out the Beyond Burger but as of 2021, it is no longer an option on their menus. Even when they were, it did not reach a nationwide rollout.
What that means is you are not going to have many options. We’ll keep you up to date if that changes.
Vegan Options at A&W
Sides
- Fries*
- Mott’s Applesauce
The onion rings contain whey.
Sweets & Treats
- Limeade
- Limeade, Strawberry
- Limeade, Cherry
- Slushee, Cherry
- Slushee, Watermelon
- Slushee, Lemon
- Slushee, Lime
- Slushee, Blue Raspberry
Root Beer
- A&W Root Beer
- A&W Diet Root Beer
A&W Disclaimer *In some restaurants fish, shrimp, chicken, potatoes, and other fried menu items may be prepared in the same oil. Vegan/Vegetarian selections are prepared on common equipment with animal-derived products.
Note: VeggL is a US-based website and all info contained on our site is regarding US based locations.
A&W Vegan FAQ
Are the Onion Rings at A&W Vegan?
Unfortunately no. According to their most recent ingredients list (last updated in August 2018), the onion rings contain they following ingredients, which includes whey:
Onions, water, enriched flour, (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin, riboflavin), bleached wheat flour, yellow corn flour, potato starch, salt, sugar, dextrose, whey, yeast, soybean oil, caramel color, spice extract, oleoresin paprika.
Is A&W seasoning vegan?
Yes! Per the A&W website their seasoning is vegan. In fact, here is what A&W’s seasoning consists of:
Salt, sugar, spices, paprika, dextrose, onion powder, corn starch, garlic powder, hydrolyzed cornprotein, extractive of paprika, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, silicon dioxide (anti-caking agent).
Does A&W have vegan burgers in the United States?
They did. As of 2021, the Beyond Burger is no longer on A&W’s menus in the United States.
Is A&W Root Beer Dairy Free?
Yes! A&W’s Root Beer and Diet Root Beer are both dairy free and 100% vegan.
Can I eat WFPB (Whole Food Plant Based) at A&W?
The best you can do at A&W is their Mott’s Applesauce and that depends on what your stance is on high fructose corn syrup because it does contain that.
Of course if you consider the HFCS to be reasonable then you might be ok with a Limeade. It is labeled as vegan but does contain not what I would call healthy WFPB ingredients.
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Our Picks
Ryan’s Pick: We got lucky to happen to be in Canada shortly after A&W released their Beyond Burgers. Burger was solid, fries are good and when you go to A&W you have to get a root beer, am I right?
Jen’s Pick: Yes, the Beyond Burger was solid but as we know, it is no longer available so I doubt A&W will be on my list of restaurants to stop at any time soon.
More Links and Info:
- Want to see A&W’s full menu? Head over to the A&W’s Official Menu page.
- Information pulled directly from A&W’s Nutrition & Allergens/Sensitivities Guide
and their Menu Ingredient Statement - Not seeing exactly what you wanted? We also have cheat sheets for Burger King and Carl’s Jr as well as 230 other popular chain restaurants on our Vegan Guides Main Page
- Disclaimer: We do everything possible at VeggL to make sure all our Vegan Guides are as up-to-date as possible, but sometimes menus and menu items can change. VeggL is not responsible for incorrect or outdated information. Always check with your location and server to confirm items are vegan when ordering. If you notice something that needs to be corrected – please let us know!
