How to Order Vegan at In-N-Out Burger

With more than 350 locations in California and the Northwest, In-N-Out is a popular destination for burger lovers. But what can you get that’s vegan at In-N-Out? Is the In-N-Out veggie burger vegan? Are the In-N-Out fries vegan? What about the grilled cheese and lettuce wraps? In this article we share everything that’s vegetarian, dairy-free, and vegan on the In-N-Out menu. Warning: there’s not much!

One thing that’s clear at this red-and-white themed restaurant is that big burgers and fists full of fries rule. But, are all of their entrees made at the expense of animals? Do they offer anything vegan at In-N-Out?

It’s a good and bad thing that In-N-Out Burger has such a simple menu. ‘Good’ because it would be an easy act to add in a plant-based burger. And ‘bad’ because, at the moment, there is no vegan-friendly burger to buy. (Unless you count their Veggie “Burger” which is more like a bun filled with flacid toppings.)

If you find yourself at an In-N-Out while you’re out and about, what should you do? Do you have any real options when you’re ravenous? Keep reading and we’ll share everything you need to know.

How to Navigate the Menu at In-N-Out Burger

Although this Pacific Coast burger restaurant has a small step above McDonald’s, the step is seriously tiny. You have three vegan menu options at In-N-Out for banishing your belly hunger and that includes the beverage.

Here’s what we suggest:

• Veggie “Burger” – Banish the word “burger” from your mind and envision a lump of limp lettuce, teary tomatoes, and ready-sliced red onion surrounded by a bun. We’re not sure if adding ketchup and mustard will make much difference.
• Fries – At least there’s one item that is truly vegan. While it’s fun to eat a lot of fries, your stomach might not agree with you after a while. But, it’s something, right?
• Beverage – Choose from a chilled Coca-Cola product or one of the fruity lemonade flavors. If you’re craving something warm to drink, they do have hot tea and coffee on the menu.

NOTE: If you know that you’ll be visiting In-N-Out ahead of time, you can bring along your own prepared vegan burger (wrapped in foil) and slip it between the buns. BYOB takes on a whole new meaning when you’re vegan!

Does In-N-Out Have a Veggie Burger?

They do and they don’t. In-N-Out offers an item (not actually on the menu) that they call a “veggie burger” but, as usual, it’s only a bun filled with burger toppings. And, the worst part is that it’s not even vegan! They add a special sauce on top that is made with mayo, so this veggie “no-burger” must be ordered without the sauce.

If you order this, you’ll have a bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion. So, basically, it’s a bun with tomatoes, lettuce, and a few onions. You even have to add your own ketchup and mustard.

Are the Fries at In-N-Out Burger Vegan?

Finally! Fully vegan fries at a fast food restaurant! Lucky for us, In-N-Out only offers one menu item that is deep fried—the fries. According to the In-N-Out informants, the fries are “Fresh, hand-cut potatoes prepared in 100% sunflower oil.”

I bet you didn’t know that there are two other ways to request your fries. We have to admit that this is kinda cool. You can ask for:

• Light – Lightly fried.
• Well – Deep fried and very crispy.
• Extra Light – Extra lightly fried with a softer center.
• Extra Well – Extra well fried and even more crispy.
• No Salt – No salt added.
• Extra Salt – More salt added.
• Famous Animal Style – This version has a layer of dairy cheese, a dollop of their famous spread, and grilled onions on top. You can always ask if they will just add grilled onions without the added animal products.

Vegan Condiments:

Just two condiments? Yup. Not much more to say about that, except for sighing deeply (and with slight disgust).

• Ketchup
• Mustard

Beverages:

In-N-Out offers Coca-Cola products at all of their locations. 

NOT Vegan at In-N-Out:

Pretty much any choice you make at this burger joint is beef-centered or has a dairy derivative, so be prepared for disappointment.

• Milkshakes – All of their milkshakes are made with dairy milk. A simple substitution for dairy milk (or ice cream) could be oat, almond, or coconut milk. If many people ask In-N-Out, maybe they would consider adding a plant-based option.
• Grilled Cheese – If you’re vegetarian, this is an extra option for ordering. As with the milkshake, this savory sandwich (which is identical to the veggie “burger”, but with cheese slices added) could easily be created with vegan cheese since there are so many cheezy, plant-based choices on the market right now.

Helpful Hints When Ordering Vegan at In-N-Out

• Browse the In-N-Out menu before ordering.
• If ordering In-N-Out Burger online or through a delivery service, make sure you clearly specify any substitutions you would like. If you’re worried that your request may not be honored (or seen by the server at In-N-Out), it might be a better idea to go there directly to order.
• Check out their Nutritional Information and Allergen Information page to make sure that you are purchasing a vegan-friendly item. The menu items offered at In-N-Out don’t seem to change very often, but you may want to double check before you visit.
• Be careful when new and exciting seasonal products are offered at In-N-Out Burger. Double check the allergens and ingredients to make sure the item is vegan before purchasing

History Moments in In-N-Out History

• Nothing yet! PETA has a petition that you can sign asking In-N-Out to offer a plant-based burger option.

Fascinating Facts About In-N-Out

• The musical “Grease” was filmed at the founder’s (Harry Snyder) alma mater, Venice High School, in the late 70s.
• In-N-Out was one of California’s first drive-thru restaurants
• This restaurant’s first day menu listed hamburgers for 25 cents, cheeseburgers for 30 cents, fries for 15 cents, and sodas for only 10 cents.
• Drive-thru customers can ask for “lap mats” if they want to enjoy their food in the car. Harry Snyder was the first one to offer this option.
• You can download the In-N-Out theme song for free off of their website.
• In-N-Out prides itself on having no heat lamps, microwaves, or freezers on site. All the food is supposed to be fresh.
• A 2011 episode of “The Simpsons” features Ned Flanders creating a list of places where it’s not “safe” to go, including In-N-Out Burger, Pinkberry, and Jiffy Lube.

Creating a Kinder and More Accessible In-N-Out Vegan Experience 

We suppose that it’s highly unlikely that In-N-Out will offer a plant-based burger or vegan grilled cheese in the future, but if Burger King and KFC can come up with vegan-friendly food, we’ll still keep hoping! There’s nothing stopping this bold, burger-centric fast food bistro from featuring an animal-free option for us, is there? In the meantime, we can always write to, call, or contact the managers of any location to make our requests.

What are your favorite items on the In-N-Out Burger vegan menu? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

How to Order Vegan at Other Fast Food Burger Chains:

• Burger King
• Carl’s Jr.
• Five Guys
• McDonald’s
• TGI Friday’s
• White Castle
• Chick-Fil-A

Have you found any other In-N-Out options to be veganizable? Did you find something amazing that we missed? Let us know by tagging #worldofvegan and sharing your favorite vegan-at-In-N-Out creations with all of us!

This article is not sponsored and we are in no way affiliated with In-N-Out Burger. At the time of this article, the foods mentioned above are vegan. Since restaurants constantly update their menus and add or take away items, please keep this in mind when ordering your food. There may be new items that are vegan at In-N-Out Burger and not listed or items listed here as vegan, which are no longer vegan. Take care to double-check.

This vegan In-N-Out guide was written by Gina House and edited by Michelle Cehn and Amanda Meth. Please note that this article may contain affiliate links which means shopping through them really helps to support World of Vegan!