Circle K: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Circle K works fine for a quick, meat-free stop, but don’t expect a real meal here. The roller grill runs on hot dogs, sausage, and meat-filled Tornados, so skip that section entirely. What’s left, the fountain machines, the bakery case, and the snack aisle, covers you well enough to fuel up and keep driving.

What to order at Circle K

Pour your own Froster or Polar Pop at the fountain. Both run vegetarian, and the fountain sodas are vegan too. The bakery case has donuts, muffins, and cookies, all vegetarian though not vegan since they’re made with eggs and butter. Grab whole fruit like bananas and apples, or string cheese and yogurt from the cooler if you eat dairy. Plain brewed coffee, taken black, is vegan, and it’s an easy way to skip the machine cappuccino and hot chocolate.

What to watch out for

The roller grill is the real trap here. Nearly everything on it, the beef franks, sausage, and meat-filled Tornados, contains meat, and the lone Cheesy Pepper Jack Tornado shares that same grill and may use rennet cheese, so ask before you order it. Machine cappuccino and hot chocolate carry milk powder, which keeps them vegetarian but not vegan. Gummy candy contains gelatin, so skip it if you’re strict. Chips, pretzels, and any cheese pizza slice a store happens to carry vary by location and flavor, so check the label or ask before you buy.