Schlotzsky's actually publishes a vegetarian menu, 11 items the company itself flags as meat-free, which is rare for a sandwich chain founded on deli meat.
Last verified: 2026-07-24
Schlotzsky’s: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review
Schlotzsky’s takes vegetarians more seriously than most sandwich chains. The company publishes an actual vegetarian menu covering 11 items, and that effort shows in the sandwiches, salads, soups, and sides available. The catch isn’t the fillings, it’s the toasted sourdough bun, the cheese, and the soups, all of which can hide dairy in places you wouldn’t expect.
What to order at Schlotzsky’s
The Fresh Veggie Sandwich (cheddar, cucumber, olives, lettuce, onion, tomato, ranch) and the Cheese Pizza or Veggie Pizza on artisan flatbread are the clearest vegetarian picks. The Garden Salad with a plant-based dressing and no croutons is vegan as served, and the Fresh Fruit Cup, Lay’s Baked Regular or jalapeno chips, and Saltine crackers are all vegan too. The Garden Vegetable Soup, built on tomato broth with kidney beans and mixed vegetables, is a solid vegetarian pick, though sources conflict on whether it’s fully vegan.
What to watch out for
Cheese rennet sourcing isn’t published for any variety Schlotzsky’s uses, so strict lacto-ovo vegetarians who only eat vegetarian-rennet cheese should ask at the counter. Every other soup on the menu contains milk, even when there’s no visible cheese, so don’t assume a soup is safe just because it looks like a vegetable broth. And the Baked BBQ Lay’s chips are out for everyone, since they carry a chicken-derived flavoring most people wouldn’t expect from a bag of chips.