Vegan Options at Dairy Queen

Along with Coldstone Creamery, Dairy Queen is one of America’s favorite ice cream and fast-food chains. In fact, it’s so popular that its notoriety for producing delicious meals has seen it go from strength to strength, and there are now over 6000 Dairy Queen locations all over the world. 

But, despite being so successful, one question remains surrounding the huge variety of flavors on offer; Does Dairy Queen have any vegan options? 

It’s fair to say that with a name like Dairy Queen, you’d expect your vegan options to be pretty limited. Surprisingly, however, there are a few menu choices that people following the vegan lifestyle can enjoy at Dairy Queen totally guilt-free!

Below, we’ll take a look at each of the 6 vegan options at Dairy Queen, making it easier for you to navigate the menu on your next visit. 

6 Vegan Options at Dairy Queen

Side Salad

Ok, so perhaps a side salad isn’t the most exciting choice on the menu, but it’s always a great accompaniment to any main dish. The main ingredients of a Dairy Queen side salad include:

• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Cabbage

All of these are pretty delicious on their own, but the real taste-magic comes in when you adorn it with lashings of one of Dairy Queen’s vegan salad dressings!

There’s actually a much larger selection of these than you might expect, and they are certainly more extensive than most other fast-food restaurants. You can choose from the following vegan salad dressings at Dairy Queen:

• Marzetti Asian Sesame Dressing
• Marzetti Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
• Marzetti Fat-Free California French Style Dressing
• Marzetti Light Italian Dressing

French Fries

You might think that fries are always vegan. They are made from potatoes, after all. However, a lot of fast-food restaurants cook their fries in the same fryers as meat-based products., and sometimes even using animal fat. Dairy Queen does not do this. 

Instead, all of Dairy Queen’s fries are cooked in soybean oil which makes them 100% vegan. They can also be dipped into one of the four vegan dipping sauces Dairy Queen offers:

• BBQ Dipping Sauce Cup
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Wild Buffalo Dipping Sauce Cup

Pretzel Sticks

Dairy Queen’s pretzel sticks are usually served with Queso and topped with butter, which would mean they aren’t vegan. However, like many restaurants, you can now ask to remove these elements to create a totally vegan dish. 

The Queso can also be substituted with any of the other vegan sauces listed above, so you won’t have to worry about sacrificing flavor. 

Applesauce & Bananas

These two options are listed on Dairy Queen’s kids’ menu as sides, but there’s nothing stopping you from ordering them as an adult. The fact each of them is made from fruit gives them obvious vegan credentials, and they make a really great alternative to a frozen dessert!

Star Kiss Bar

If you would prefer a frozen dessert (fast food is a treat, after all!), then Dairy Queen’s Star Kiss Bar is a delicious vegan choice. These frozen treats are cherry and Stars & Stripes Cola flavored, and they are a great option if you’re looking for a way to cool down on a hot day. 

One of the best things about them, certainly in terms of veganism, is that they do a fantastic job of mimicking ice cream almost perfectly. Only you’re not consuming any animal products. It’s a total win-win situation!

It is worth noting, however, that not all Dairy Queen locations sell Star Kiss Bars, so it may be worth ringing your local restaurant ahead of time to avoid any disappointment. 

Drinks

While milkshakes are definitely not a menu choice for any vegan visiting Dairy Queen, there are still a few vegan drinks available to choose from. The most delicious of these is the Misty Slushes which, unlike Misty Freezes, do not contain any milk. There is also a good range of flavors available too, including:

• Cherry
• Grape
• Lemon Lime
• Blue Raspberry
• Strawberry Kiwi

But that’s not all! You can also make Dairy Queen’s Premium Fruit Smoothies into a vegan drink by asking your server to remove the yogurt and replace it with water. This means you can enjoy either a Strawberry Banana, Mango Pineapple, or Tripleberry smoothie without worrying about eating any dairy products. 

And, of course, Dairy Queen also offers a range of standard vegan drinks that you can expect to find at most fast-food restaurants. These include Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and Coffee.

Summary

While Dairy Queen’s vegan options are pretty limited, there is still a good amount of choice available to make a decent meal from. An order of a side salad, pretzel stick, fries, and a Misty Slushie would normally be more than enough to satisfy those fast-food cravings without feeling as though you’re missing out. And, if you really want a treat, you can finish your meal with a super-tasty Star Kiss Bar!