The rules of vegetarianism seem pretty straightforward: don’t eat animals. However, this can get a little complicated when you consider the fact that animal products can sneak their way into foods you may not think you’d find them. Believe it or not, that can include the French fries at your favorite fast food restaurant. That’s right: many restaurants fry their foods, including their French fries, in beef tallow.
If you’re vegetarian (or know someone who is) it’s important to be aware of which restaurants can suit your needs, as well as which menu items you should avoid at the drive-thru. That’s why we put this list together of 4 of the most popular chains whose fries aren’t vegetarian: McDonald’s, Popeye’s, Smashburger, and Portillo’s. Find it all below!
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1. McDonald’s
Okay, this one is a little iffy. Back in the day, McDonald’s used to use beef tallow in their French fries–which definitely isn’t vegetarian. However, after being sued for failing to be transparent about the use of beef tallow, the fast food chain started frying their fries in something slightly different: beef extract. Although it’s not 100% confirmed that beef extract contains animal products (in fact, it comes from wheat and dairy), it certainly doesn’t sound like something a vegetarian could eat.
2. Popeye’s
Although this chain is known for their fried chicken, it turns out that Popeye’s uses beef tallow to fry their French fries, too–in fact, that’s what they fry everything in, including their hash browns. If you’re looking to eat vegetarian here, you’ll have to stick with sides like cole slaw, mac and cheese, and biscuits.
3. Smashburger
Smashburger is a growing burger chain that seems to be rapidly expanding across the nation. And luckily, there are vegetarian options on the menu, including a black bean burger. However, non-meat-eaters will have to pass on the side of fries if they want to avoid consuming beef tallow. Yup, that’s right: just like McDonald’s and Popeye’s, Smashburger fries all of their French fries in this fat. Say it ain’t so!
4. Portillo’s
Portillo’s is a Chicago-based restaurant serving up hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches–and while they may be known for their meat, they do have some plant-based items on their menu, including the Garden Dog. Unfortunately, their French fries, however, do not make the list of vegetarian-friendly options. As it turns out, neither do their onion rings. Both of these sides are fried in a blend of vegetable oil and beef fat. If you maintain a plant-based diet, you may just have to stick to a salad as your side. But, hey, your body will thank you!
While it can be heartbreaking to learn that your favorite restaurant doesn’t meet your dietary needs, the good thing is that there are still plenty of ones that do! Fast food chains that offer vegetarian French fries include Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and more. So when you’re craving for something crispy and salty arises, you know where to go–just make sure it’s not somewhere on this list.
