Five Guys Burgers and Fries is an all-American fast-casual restaurant most famous for burgers and hot dogs, so it’s not wrong to assume that there wouldn’t be anything vegan for you at the local Five Guys.
Here at Kathy’s Vegan Kitchen, we’re happy to report that that’s not the case -- although we have to warn you that the restaurant does carry fairly limited vegan options. Here’s everything you can eat vegan at Five Guys.
What is Five Guys Burgers & Fries?
Five Guys Burgers and Fries was founded in 1986 by, well, five guys. Technically speaking, they were named after Jerry and Janie Murrell’s five sons, namely: Jim, Matt, Chad, Ben, and Tyler. These “five guys” are heavily involved in the business today: Matt and Jim are in charge of visiting the different restaurant locations; Chad is in charge of training; Ben personally handpicks the franchisees; and, last but not least, Tyler runs the bakery.
The fast-casual restaurant started as a family business, having begun as a humble fast food restaurant in Arlington, Virginia (which had already shut down in favor of a better location somewhere else in Arlington).
They had since branched out to franchising in 2003, and there are currently more than 1,500 Five Guys locations all over the world, including Canada, the Middle East, Germany, Singapore, and the UK.
Vegan Options at Five Guys For You To Try
As mentioned, this fast-food restaurant carries pretty limited options for someone on a vegan diet, so don’t be surprised to see only five vegan options at Five Guys for you down below. Yup, these are everything vegan you can eat at Five Guys.
Five Guys Style Fries
Five Guys' menu states that the standard french fries/regular fries they carry are made from homemade, fresh-cut potatoes, deep-fried in 100 percent, no cholesterol, peanut oil [1] -- which means they are a safe vegan option! The crunchy Five Guys Style Fries are lightly seasoned with sea salt, with no additional flavoring.
Also, as far as we know, Five Guys doesn’t have any other deep-fried menu option, so it’s safe to say that there isn’t any risk of cross-contamination when you order the Five Guys French Fries.
Five Guys Cajun Style Fries
Five Guys uses their vegan-friendly french fries base for the cajun style fries -- also deep-fried in peanut oil -- with the added dusting of Cajun seasoning. The Cajun-style seasoning is made from a savory mix of onion and garlic powder, salt, paprika, oregano, white pepper, red pepper powder, and a blend of secret spices -- which definitely makes this Five Guys fries vegan in our book.
Veggie Sandwich
Upon inspection of the Five Guys menu, we saw that they listed a Five Guys Veggie Sandwich and a Cheese Veggie Sandwich. These are both safe and dandy for our vegetarian friends, but we vegans have to make a few modifications to make the Veggie Sandwich a safe vegan option.
Firstly, Five Guys burger buns are not vegan, as they contain both milk and egg ingredients (both animal-derived ingredients). Ask the server to wrap your Veggie Sandwich up in a lettuce wrap instead. Other ingredients in the Veggie Sandwich include grilled veggies: grilled onions, mushrooms, green peppers, and tomato.
Top the Veggie Sandwich off with any of the Five Guys vegan dipping sauces, which we’ll be listing down below. Of course, you know to stay away from cheese when you order this meal. Five Guys does not carry vegan cheese.
However, it’s worth noting that the grilled onions, mushrooms, and green peppers will be sauteed using the same grill Five Guys is using for their non-vegan burgers, so there will always be a risk for cross-contamination. Some vegans are okay with this, but it’s best not to order this menu item if that doesn't align with your principles.
As for any plant-based patty, Five Guys has yet to announce whether they have any plans of partnering with Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods for a Beyond or Impossible Burger.
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Peanuts
Uniquely, Five Guys offers vegan-friendly free peanuts to all of their paying customers. We’re a sucker for free chips, just like we’re suckers for free peanuts!
Sauces
Five Guys have more than enough sauce options, and thankfully, most of them are vegan-friendly! Here is the complete list of vegan-approved sauces that you can use to dip your regular fries or cajun fries into:
- A1 Original Steak Sauce
- BBQ Sauce
- Hot Sauce
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Relish
Beverages
Most of Five Guys' beverages are vegan-friendly! You may take your pick from any of their soft drinks or fountain drinks. Their milkshakes, of course, are not vegan, as these contain ice cream and milk.
FAQs
No. Unfortunately, the Veggie Burger in Five Guys is not a vegan burger. It is, however, safe for vegetarians. The veggie burger bun contains milk and egg ingredients, which vegans can swap for a vegan-friendly lettuce wrap instead. The green peppers, grilled onions, and mushrooms inside the burger are also okay for vegans to eat.
Five Guys has yet to add plant-based burger patties, like the Beyond Burger or Impossible Burger, but we hope they join the bandwagon of the rest of the fast-food industry soon! For the meantime, you can make your own vegan falafel burger at home.
No. Unfortunately, Five Guys does not carry vegan milkshakes, nor did they give any indication that they were planning to release any in the near future. For now, it’s safe to stick to their soft drinks and fountain drinks.
So, What Are the Vegan Options at Five Guys?
While it’s not a lot, Five Guys still does carry okay vegan options for those who are seriously committed to upholding a vegan lifestyle -- just remember our tip for the Veggie Sandwich, and order yourself a side of Five Guys fries or Cajun fries -- you’re good to go! We’re sure you’d leave the establishment as full and satisfied as your non-vegan friends with this little hack.
Reference:
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/peanut-oil-health-benefits#1
About Author
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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