Looking for Arbys vegetarian options? There’s no veggie burger, no bean patty, and no plant-based protein of any kind on this fast food menu, so a meat-free visit means sides, a build-your-own salad, sauces, and dessert. Arby’s built its whole identity on the “We Have the Meats” slogan, and the menu lives up to it. This guide walks you through every meat-free menu item worth ordering, which ones are also vegan, and the cross-contact issues to watch for. For more meat-free dining help, start at What’s Vegetarian.
A Quick Look at Arbys
Arby’s opened on July 23, 1964, in Boardman Township, Ohio, just outside Youngstown. Brothers Forrest and Leroy Raffel ran a restaurant-equipment business and bet on a fast-food concept built around roast beef instead of hamburgers. The name comes from “R.B.” for Raffel Brothers, not “roast beef” as people often assume.
Today Arby’s is part of Inspire Brands, the Atlanta-based parent it became in 2018 after the Buffalo Wild Wings acquisition. That puts it under the same roof as Sonic, Jimmy John’s, Dunkin’, and Baskin-Robbins. The chain runs roughly 3,300 to 3,400 locations across the US, so you’ll find one in most towns even if the menu doesn’t have much for plant-based eaters.
Arbys Vegetarian Options: What to Order
Your Arbys vegetarian options come down to fried sides, salad components, turnovers, and sauces. The table below sorts these meat-free menu items into vegetarian and vegan columns so you can see the vegan-friendly offerings at a glance. I’ve marked items vegan only where multiple guides and the official allergen sheet confirm no animal products in the ingredients. When in doubt, treat the cell as a no.
| Menu Item | Vegetarian | Vegan |
|---|---|---|
| Curly Fries | ✅ | ✅ (by recipe; shared fryer) |
| Crinkle Fries | ✅ | ✅ (by recipe; shared fryer) |
| Potato Cakes | ✅ | ✅ (by recipe; shared fryer) |
| Homestyle Fries (where available) | ✅ | ✅ (by recipe; shared fryer) |
| French Toast Sticks | ✅ | ✅ (by recipe; shared fryer) |
| Apple Turnover | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cherry Turnover | ✅ | ✅ |
| Side Salad, no cheese, no croutons | ✅ | ✅ |
| Side Salad with cheese | ✅ | ❌ |
| Tree Top Applesauce | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mozzarella Sticks | ✅ | ❌ |
| Jalapeño Bites | ✅ | ❌ |
| Arby’s (Original) Sauce | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bronco Berry Sauce | ✅ | ✅ |
| Balsamic Vinaigrette | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ranch / Buffalo Sauce | ✅ | ❌ |
| Mayonnaise / Honey Mustard / Horsey Sauce | ⚠️ (contains egg) | ❌ |
| Any sandwich, slider, wrap, or gyro | ❌ | ❌ |
Sandwiches, Wraps, and Entrees
There’s nothing here for you. Every sandwich, slider, wrap, and gyro on the Arby’s menu contains meat. No veggie burger, no bean patty, no tofu or tempeh, and no plant-based protein anywhere on the board. Arby’s has publicly refused to add plant-based meat more than once. Former president Rob Lynch famously said it “won’t happen on my watch.” Lynch left the company in 2023, but current leadership hasn’t announced any change, so the no-plant-based-protein position still holds.
If you really want something sandwich-like, your only move is a do-it-yourself build. Some locations carry breads with no egg or dairy, like marble rye, sourdough breakfast bread, or the sesame and slider buns. You could ask for a bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and a vegan sauce. It’s a workaround, not a menu item, and availability varies by store.
Sides and Fried Items
Sides are where Arby’s actually delivers for meat-free eaters. The Curly Fries are the classic standout, salty and coated in that signature seasoning, and they pair perfectly with Arby’s Sauce. Crinkle Fries, Potato Cakes (Arby’s take on hash browns), and Homestyle Fries where available are all vegan by recipe. The French Toast Sticks, a breakfast item at participating stores, are also vegan in their own formulation, with no egg or milk in the breading itself. These are the most reliable, filling vegetarian items on the board.
Two hot sides are vegetarian but not vegan: Mozzarella Sticks and Jalapeño Bites both contain milk, and the Jalapeño Bites are cream-cheese filled. Both are breaded, so the same shared-fryer caveat applies. If you eat dairy, they’re a solid warm option. If you’re vegan, skip them.
Salads and Desserts
Arby’s doesn’t have a dedicated meatless entree salad, but you can build a side salad that works for a vegetarian diet. Order it with no cheese and no croutons, then add a vegan dressing like Balsamic Vinaigrette or Light Italian. The lettuce, tomato, and onion give you a few real veggies on the tray. With cheese it’s still vegetarian, just not vegan. It’s light, but it’s the closest thing to a fresh vegetable-forward plate here.
Dessert is a bright spot. Both the Apple Turnover and Cherry Turnover are made with vegetable shortening rather than butter, which keeps them dairy-free and egg-free. The fruit filling makes them sweet without any animal ingredients, so they’re a rare and genuinely delicious fully vegan dessert at a fast-food chain. If you’re watching sugar, the turnovers are a treat rather than an everyday pick. For kids or a lighter finish, Tree Top Applesauce is a vegan fruit side too.
What’s Vegan at Arbys?
The best vegan options at Arby’s are Curly Fries with Arby’s Sauce, Potato Cakes, an Apple or Cherry Turnover, and a no-cheese side salad with Balsamic or Light Italian dressing. Those are the vegan options multiple guides agree on. For sauces, you’re safe with Arby’s Original Sauce, Bronco Berry Sauce, ketchup, plain Marinara, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Light Italian, the Smoky Q, Tangy, and Smokehouse BBQ-style sauces, Red Ranch, and Spicy Three Pepper Sauce. Plain toppings like lettuce, tomato, red onion, banana peppers, jalapeños, sauerkraut, and pickles are all fine. To drink, you’ve got Coca-Cola products, bottled water, unsweetened iced tea, Simply Orange and Honest apple juice, Powerade, and lemonades.
Now the part that trips people up. Several sauces contain egg, including Garlic Aioli, Hamburger Sauce, Honey Mustard, Horsey Sauce, Mayonnaise, Tartar Sauce, and Thousand Island. Ranch and Buffalo sauces contain milk, and so does “Robust Marinara” (plain Marinara doesn’t). Crispy Onions contain egg and milk. Honey Mustard also has honey, so it’s out twice over. Croissants and biscuits both have egg and milk, so they’re not vegan either. And remember, none of this matters for the sandwiches, because every one of them has meat.
Special Dietary Requirements and Allergies
The biggest issue at Arby’s is the shared fryer. Every fried item cooks in common oil, no matter how clean its own ingredients and spices are. The official allergen guide uses a dagger symbol that means “Menu item is cooked in the same oil as other items,” and the footer spells out that fried items share oil with possible contact with other major allergens. Curly Fries, Crinkle Fries, Potato Cakes, and French Toast Sticks are all flagged for egg, milk, soy, wheat, and fish where available. So while those items are vegan by recipe, the cooking method means they aren’t prepared separately from meat, fish, or dairy.
That fish flag is real. Arby’s sells Crispy Fish and King’s Hawaiian Fish sandwiches made with pollock, so fish cross-contact in the fryer is a genuine concern at most US locations during fish-sandwich availability. If you avoid fish or shellfish for allergy or dietary reasons, treat the fried sides with caution and ask your location.
On gluten, nearly all the meat-free hot items are breaded or fried in shared oil, so a reliably gluten-free hot option is hard to come by here. The turnovers contain wheat too. Your safest gluten-conscious picks are likely a no-crouton side salad and plain toppings, but check the current allergen guide before you order. Allergen formulations change, and “where available” items vary by region, so the official PDF is always the final word.
Tips for Vegetarians at Arbys
- Lead with the sides. Curly Fries and Potato Cakes are your most reliable meat-free orders, and they’re filling.
- Order the side salad with no cheese and no croutons if you want it vegan, then add Balsamic or Light Italian dressing.
- Stick to the confirmed vegan sauces like Arby’s Original, Bronco Berry, ketchup, and plain Marinara. Skip Garlic Aioli, Honey Mustard, Horsey, Mayonnaise, and Ranch.
- If you eat dairy, Mozzarella Sticks and Jalapeño Bites give you a hot, savory option the fries don’t.
- Save room for a turnover. Both the apple and cherry versions are vegan and easy to grab.
- If you need zero animal cross-contact, know that the fries and cakes share oil with chicken and fish. They’re vegan by recipe, not by preparation.
- Pull up the current allergen guide on your phone before ordering, since formulations and regional items change.
Arbys vegetarian options: frequently asked questions
Conclusion
Arby’s is one of the harder fast-food stops for meat-free eaters, but you won’t go hungry. Lean on the Curly Fries, Potato Cakes, a built-to-order side salad, and a turnover, and you’ve got a workable meal. Just keep the shared fryer in mind if you’re strict about cross-contact, and pull up the allergen guide before you order. For a broader strategy on eating out, see our guide to eating vegetarian and vegan at restaurants, and browse more chains in our restaurant guides. You might also like our breakdowns of Burger King vegetarian options and Wendy’s vegetarian options.
