Big Boy: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Big Boy is famous for a double-decker beef burger that went on to inspire both the Big Mac and the Big King, so the core dinner menu doesn’t give vegetarians much to work with. But this Michigan-rooted diner chain runs breakfast most of the day, and that’s where the real vegetarian options live, backed up by a handful of sides and appetizers.

What to order at Big Boy

The Very Veggie Omelette, packed with onion, green pepper, tomato, mushroom, and cheddar, is the standout, and the Mushroom Swiss Scramble with spinach and caramelized onion works too. Hotcakes, French toast, and waffles round out the breakfast side of the menu. Outside breakfast hours, the Mac & Cheese, Mozzarella Sticks, and Pretzel Bites with four cheese sauce give you real appetizer options to order.

What to watch out for

None of the breakfast standouts are vegan since the omelettes, scrambles, hotcakes, French toast, and waffles all rely on egg and dairy batters. Toast comes buttered by default, so ask for it dry if that matters to you. The Mac & Cheese and Mozzarella Sticks both lean on dairy too, so there’s no vegan version of either. Stick to breakfast, sides, and appetizers here, since the core lunch and dinner menu runs on beef, bacon, and sausage with no vegetarian entree to speak of, and the printed menu doesn’t mark vegetarian items for you, so confirm with your server before you order anything that isn’t listed here.