Looking for Zaxbys vegetarian options? Here’s the full list. Zaxby’s is a chicken chain through and through, so there’s no veggie burger or meatless main waiting for you here. What you can do is build a meal from the salads and sides, and a few of them are genuinely good. Order a Zalad without the chicken, add crinkle fries and Texas toast, and you’ve got a plate. This guide walks through exactly what’s vegetarian at Zaxby’s, what’s vegan, and the couple of things worth asking before you order. If Zaxby’s comes up short, you can always check what’s vegetarian at other restaurants.
A Quick Look at Zaxby’s
Zaxby’s started as a single college-town chicken-finger spot in Georgia and grew into one of the biggest chicken chains in the South. Here’s the short version of how it got here.
- Founded in March 1990 in Statesboro, Georgia, by childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley, near the Georgia Southern University campus.
- Started as “Zax,” then rebranded to Zaxby’s by 1994 as the pair began franchising the concept.
- Built around chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches, and “Zalads,” all tied together by the signature Zax Sauce.
- Goldman Sachs acquired a majority stake in November 2020. Co-founder Tony Townley exited, while Zach McLeroy stayed on as chairman.
- Bernard Acoca became the first non-founder CEO in 2022, taking over day-to-day leadership of the chain.
- More than 970 restaurants today, mostly across the Southern United States, with expansion reaching Maryland in 2025. The company is headquartered in Athens, Georgia.
Zaxbys vegetarian options: What to Order
Here’s the honest answer: Zaxby’s has no vegetarian entree. The chicken fingers, wings, and sandwiches are the whole show. What works for vegetarians is the salad-and-sides route, where you order a Zalad without chicken and pair it with fries, toast, and a few add-ons. The table below sorts the meatless picks by whether they’re vegetarian, vegan, or neither. Recipes and prep vary by location, so treat this as a starting point and confirm with the staff.
| Menu Item | Vegetarian | Vegan |
|---|---|---|
| Crinkle Fries | Yes | Yes* |
| House Zalad (no chicken, no cheese) | Yes | Yes |
| House Zalad (no chicken, with cheese) | Yes | No (dairy) |
| Texas Toast | Yes | Yes |
| Lite Vinaigrette | Yes | Yes |
| Fried White Cheddar Bites | Yes | No (dairy) |
| Coleslaw | Yes | No (egg) |
| Cookies (Chocolate Chip and others) | Yes | No (dairy, egg) |
| Milkshakes | Yes | No (dairy) |
*The crinkle fries contain no animal ingredients, but most Zaxby’s locations fry them in the same oil as breaded chicken. Ask about the shared fryer if cross-contact is a concern.
Vegetarian Sides and Salads at Zaxby’s
These are the meatless picks worth knowing, with the details that matter for each one.
- House Zalad (no chicken): Mixed greens, red cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, and fried onions. Order it without the chicken to make it vegetarian, and drop the cheese and fried onions to keep it vegan.
- Crinkle Fries: Zaxby’s seasoned crinkle-cut fries have no animal ingredients, so they’re vegetarian and vegan, with the shared-fryer caveat above.
- Texas Toast: Thick, griddled bread brushed with a dairy-free garlic margarine. Vegetarian and vegan, though it does contain wheat and soy. Order it plain if you want to skip the garlic spread entirely.
- Fried White Cheddar Bites: Breaded, fried cheese curds. Vegetarian, but the cheese keeps them off the vegan list, and they share fryer oil with the chicken.
- Coleslaw: A creamy slaw that’s vegetarian but not vegan, since the dressing contains egg.
- Cookies and Milkshakes: The chocolate chip and other cookies are vegetarian, and Zaxby’s brought milkshakes back to the menu in 2025. Both contain dairy and egg, so they’re vegetarian only.
What’s Vegan at Zaxby’s?
Vegan options are limited, but they’re real if you order with intent. Stick to these and ask for the modifications noted:
- House Zalad with no chicken, no cheese, and no fried onions, dressed with the Lite Vinaigrette.
- Crinkle Fries, keeping in mind the shared fryer.
- Texas Toast, plain or with the dairy-free garlic spread.
- Dipping sauces: the Wimpy, Tongue Torch, Nuclear, Insane, Sweet & Spicy, Teriyaki, and BBQ sauces are all vegan. The creamy Zax Sauce and ranch-style dressings are not.
Special Dietary Requirements and Allergies
Zaxby’s publishes allergen and nutrition information on its website, and it’s worth a look before you order. A few things to keep in mind as a vegetarian or vegan diner:
- Shared fryers are the norm. The crinkle fries and fried white cheddar bites cook in the same oil as breaded chicken, so they can carry traces of meat.
- Salads come with chicken by default. Every Zalad is built around chicken, so you have to ask for it without. Double-check that no chicken made it onto the plate.
- Zax Sauce and ranch contain egg and dairy. They’re fine for vegetarians but not vegans. Use the Lite Vinaigrette or one of the vegan dipping sauces instead.
- Dairy and egg hide in the extras. Cheese, coleslaw, cookies, and milkshakes all rule out a vegan order, so skip them if you’re strict.
Tips for Vegetarians at Zaxby’s
- Anchor your meal with a Zalad ordered without chicken, then build it out with fries and toast.
- Skip the shared fryers if cross-contact bothers you, and lean on the salad, Texas toast, and coleslaw instead.
- Reach for the Lite Vinaigrette or a vegan dipping sauce rather than the creamy Zax Sauce when you want to stay vegan.
- Tell the staff you want no chicken on the Zalad, and confirm it before you leave the counter.
- Check for any seasonal or regional items, since menus aren’t identical at every location.
That’s the complete rundown of Zaxbys vegetarian options. Bookmark this guide so you always know what to order, and check our other restaurant guides for more Zaxbys-style meatless picks.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bottom Line
Zaxby’s isn’t built for vegetarians, but you won’t leave hungry if you work the salads and sides. A House Zalad with no chicken, a side of crinkle fries, and a piece of Texas toast make a real meal, and you can keep the whole thing vegan with a few easy swaps. Just remember the two things to ask about: the shared fryers and whether your Zalad really came without chicken. For more meat-free dining help, see our guide on eating vegetarian and vegan at restaurants or browse the full restaurant guides. If you’re comparing chicken chains, see what’s vegetarian at Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane’s, and KFC.
