McDonald's Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen & Vegan Notes (2024)

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By Alisa Fleming on February 26, 2024 Fast Food Restaurants

Updated February 2024! McDonald’s menu has shifted in recent years due to general ingredient changes, some dairy supplier contracts, and now to “improve” burger quality. Some of these shifts were frustrating, like the introduction of real butter. But according to the company, their burger upgrades in late 2023 were more about technique than ingredients. So for the most part, their dairy-free options entered 2024 without changes. Please keep in mind that the quick dairy-free menu guide below is for the United States, but we have included some notes for Canada and the United Kingdom.

McDonald’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Custom Order, Allergen, and Vegan Notes

This menu guide includes dairy-free menu options first, followed by custom order components. Be aware of special order requirements in parentheses () next to the menu items, and see the Heads Up notes to help fill in the blanks. The information below is for the U.S. locations. Many items are the same in Canada, but there are some differences. We have included some notes for Canada and other countries in this guide.

Fryer Note: Some McDonald’s locations do reportedly use a separate fryer for their chicken, which was all made without milk at the time of our review. But it’s possible that they cook items containing milk in the same fryer. Verify at your location if possible fryer cross-contamination is a concern. McDonald’s uses a canola, corn, and soy oil blend for deep frying.

Butter Note: McDonald’s uses real dairy butter, and may butter the buns or grill, depending on the location. Some locations use only salt and pepper on the grill, but some do use butter. Always clarify no butter when placing your order, and inquire on cross-contamination issues with the grill if concerned. In the UK, they do offer Flora plant butter as an alternative.

Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: All menu items listed below are made without egg, peanuts,tree nuts, and “allergenic” soy, unless otherwise noted. Most items can be ordered without egg if you hold the mayonnaise or sauce. McDonald’s does not consider highly refined soybean oil to be a top allergen, per the FDA. Most of their menu does contain soybean oil. All of the main menu items listed below contain wheat, except for the oatmeal, plain eggs, and apple slices. Inquire if you want to order any components (proteins, sauces, etc); some are gluten-free by ingredients. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.

Breakfast

• Egg McMuffin (no cheese, no butter)
• BaconEgg McMuffin (no cheese, no butter)
• Sausage McMuffin (no cheese, no butter)
• Sausage McMuffin with Egg (no cheese, no butter)
• Fruit & Maple Oatmeal (prepared with water, no cream)
• Plain Scrambled Eggs (no butter)

Heads Up! In the United States, McDonald’s Hashbrowns do CONTAIN milk. In Canada, the UK, and some other countries, their Hashbrowns are dairy-free by ingredients. McDonald’s uses both salted butter and clarified butter to make their breakfast sandwiches. Make sure neither is used for dairy-free needs. The Hotcakes, Griddle Cakes (for the McGriddles), Folded Egg (used on other breakfast sandwiches), and Scrambled Egg Mix (for the burritos) do contain dairy.

Burgers

• Bic Mac (no cheese)(contains egg, soy)
• Double Bic Mac (no cheese) (contains egg, soy; limited offer)
• Hamburger
• McDouble (no cheese)
• McRib (seasonal)
• Quarter Pounder (no cheese)
• Quarter Pounder Deluxe (no cheese) (contains egg)
• Quarter Pounder Double (no cheese)
• Quarter Pounder with Bacon (no cheese)

Heads Up! It is not standard policy to use butter on the burgers, but some locations do butter all of the buns or use butter on the grill. Make sure to request NO Butter on all orders. McDonald’s used to use a Grill Seasoning, which was dairy-free, but now they reportedly season their patties only with salt and pepper. The Big Mac Sauce at McDonald’s is dairy-free, but does contain egg, soy, and wheat.

Chicken

• Chicken McNuggets
• McChicken Sandwich (contains egg)
• McCrispy Chicken Sandwich (no butter)
• Deluxe McCrispy Chicken Sandwich (contains egg)
• Spicy McCrispy Chicken Sandwich (contains egg)
• Spicy Deluxe McCrispy Chicken Sandwich (contains egg)

Heads Up! McDonald’s only lists butter on the basic McCrispy Chicken Sandwich, but some locations do butter all of the buns. Make sure to request NO Butter on all orders. Some McDonald’s locations do reportedly use a separate fryer for their chicken. But it’s possible that they cook items containing milk in the same fryer. Verify at your location if possible fryer cross-contamination is a concern. The fried chicken items in Canada are also made without milk, but their Brioche Buns do contain milk. Stick with a standard Sesame Seed Bun.

Fish

Heads Up! The Filet-O-Fish patty on the fish sandwich at McDonald’s does contain milk in the U.S., but it is made without milk in Canada and the UK. In those countries, you can order the fish sandwich without cheese.

Sides

• Apple Slices

Heads Up! In the United States, McDonald’s French Fries do CONTAIN milk. In Canada, the UK, and some other countries, the French Fries are dairy-free by ingredients. McDonald’s discontinued making salads in North America in 2023.

Dipping Sauces

• Honey
• Honey Mustard Sauce (contains egg)
• Sweet ‘N Sour Sauce (contains soy)
• Tangy Barbeque Sauce (contains soy)
• WcDonalds Savory Chili Sauce (contains soy; limited offer)

Heads Up! The Spicy Buffalo Sauce and Creamy Ranch Sauce at McDonald’s do contain milk.

Dessert

• Baked Apple Pie

Specialty Drinks

• Frozen Coca Cola
• Frozen Fanta Blue Raspberry

Heads Up! McDonald’s North America has yet to add any dairy-free milk options for coffee, but some other countries have begun adding it to their McCafe menus. Austrian locations, for example, now serve oat milk.

Proteins

• Beef Patties
• Canadian Bacon
• Crispy Chicken Fillet
• Egg (no butter; not the Folded Egg)
• McChicken Patty
• Plain Scrambled Eggs
• Sausage Patty
• Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon

Heads Up! In the U.S., the seasonal Fish Filet Patty and Folded Egg at McDonald’s do contain milk. In Canada, the Fish Filet is made without milk. Verify that the protein you order is not cooked with butter.

Breads

• English Muffin
• Big Mac Bun
• Potato Roll
• Quarter Pound Bun
• Regular Bun
• Flour Tortilla

Heads Up! The Biscuits and Griddle Cakes at McDonald’s do contain milk. Verify that the bread you order is not buttered.

Vegetables

• Onions
• Pickles
• Roma Tomato
• Shredded Lettuce

Condiments

• Big Mac Sauce (contains egg, soy)
• Hotcake Syrup
• Ketchup
• Mayonnaise (contains egg)
• Mustard
• Spicy Pepper Sauce(contains egg)
• Tartar Sauce (contains egg)

Heads Up! Canadians can also enjoy the Creamy Habanero Sauce (contains egg). But the Big Tasty Sauce in the UK contains milk.

Coffee Add-Ins

• French Vanilla Syrup

Heads Up! The Chocolate and Caramel Syrups and Drizzles all contain milk. Their frappe base also contains milk. At last check, their McCafe still does not offer any dairy-free milk beverages. But they are test marketing oat milk in Australia.

McDonald’s Vegan Menu Guide

To the best of our knowledge, the following are made without meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and honey. Inquire directly if concerned about sources for ingredients such as sugar.

Vegan Menu

• Apple Slices
• Baked Apple Pie
• Frozen Drinks

Vegan Dipping Sauces

• Sweet ‘N Sour Sauce
• Tangy Barbeque Sauce
• Hotcake Syrup

Vegan Burger Components

• Big Mac Bun
• English Muffin
• Flour Tortilla
• Quarter Pound Bun
• Regular Bun
• Onions
• Pickles
• Roma Tomato
• Shredded Lettuce
• Ketchup
• Mustard

Vegan Specialty Drinks

• Frozen Coca Cola
• Frozen Fanta Blue Raspberry
• French Vanilla Syrup (for coffee)

McPlant: The Beyond Meat patty was discontinued in the U.S. in late summer of 2022. They still offer the McPlant in Australia, the United Kingdom, and several other European countries. The Double McPlant launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland at the beginning of 2023. It is made with vegan “cheese” and vegan sauce. Additional vegan menu items are available in these countries. The U.K. actually has a separate vegan menu.

Heads Up! The Potato Roll contains honey.

This Post is for Informational Purposes Only

Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, food sourcing, and restaurant protocols are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure they can accommodate your situation. This post is for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as advice.

There is always a risk for potential cross-contamination of allergens in any commercial kitchen. If cross-contamination is an issue for you, always speak with the manager to ensure that your meal can be safely prepared. Listings here do not guarantee that a restaurant is safe enough for your individual needs. Only you can make that decision.

Each location of a chain restaurant has different management and staff, and some might have different owners. This means differences in processes, ingredients used, menu options, and food sourcing can occur. Always verify the safety of your order for your needs at your current location.

Where to FindMcDonald’s

Website: www.mcdonalds.com

For More Dairy-Free Guidance, Get Go Dairy Free!