American fast-food chains aren’t usually great choices for vegans. Most of them offer only very limited (if any) food options for their plant-based eaters.
But where does Jack in the Box stand? Does Jack in the Box have vegan options?
Let’s find out!
Is There Anything Vegan at Jack in the Box?
Strictly speaking, there are vegan options at Jack in the Box. But they are not something you would especially want to go to the fast-food restaurant for.
Still, Jack in the Box is a lot better than many other fast-food places. While you won’t have the best vegan meal at Jack in the Box, you wouldn’t be starving either if you end up here with your friends or family.
Let’s scrutinize the restaurant’s menu to find out what vegans can eat at Jack in the Box.
What Is Vegan at Jack in the Box?
Jack in the Box vegan options include:
- Salads (without meat, ranch dressing, or southwest dressing)
- French fries
- Seasoned curly fries
- Plain potato wedges
- Hash brown
- Spicy corn stick
- Teriyaki bowl (without chicken, of course!)
- Dips and sauces
- Beverages
Wondering if all these food items are wholly vegan or need some changes to fit vegan dietary guidelines? Read on to get a detailed overview of Jack in the Box vegan food items.
I will also discuss any other items on Jack in the Box’s menu that can be made vegan. In the last section of the article, I will answer some of the commonly asked questions about Jack in the Box’s food and their vegan-friendliness so that you can get a clear idea of what you can eat and how do you order vegan at Jack in the Box.
Jack in the Box Vegan Options – An Overview
When eating at Jack in the Box, vegans have the following options to place their order for:
§ Salads
Jack in the Box offers four different types of salads, three of which contain chicken, cheddar cheese, and non-vegan dressings. However, all of them can be made vegan with a few alterations.
Here’s how you should order vegan salads at Jack in the Box:
- Chicken Club Salad – The non-vegan items in this salad are chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese, croutons, and creamy ranch dressing. So, make sure to order it without these. In case you didn’t know already, ranch dressing contains mayonnaise, which has eggs in it. Jack in the Box’s creamy ranch also has milk, as per the restaurant’s Allergen Reference Guide.
- Southwest Chicken Salad – This Jack in the Box’s salad contains grape tomatoes, roasted corn, spicy corn sticks, romaine and iceberg lettuce, black beans, shredded cheddar, chicken, and creamy southwest dressing. When ordering it vegan style, skip on meat, cedar, and the dressing. As the name suggests, the creamy southwest dressing contains milk. According to Jack in the Box’s Allergen Reference Guide, the dressing also has eggs.
- Grilled Chicken Salad – This salad is a combination of grape tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, cheese, croutons, and low-fat balsamic dressing. When ordering vegan, get it without meat, cheese, and croutons. The dressing used in this salad is vegan.
- Side Salad – This salad is similar to Grilled Chicken Salad, except that it doesn’t contain meat and has ranch dressing. If you’re ordering a side salad at Jack in the Box vegan style, get it without croutons and the dressing.
Want an honest opinion?
Don’t go for their Chicken Club Salad. You will only be left with a mix of iceberg and romaine lettuce, cucumbers, and grape tomatoes when you remove the non-vegan ingredients. Grilled Chicken and Side Salad will be more or less the same when ordered vegan.
Instead, I would suggest getting the Southwest Salad. It has a good veggie combination and also contains black beans. Just make sure to switch the regular dressing with balsamic dressing.
§ French Fries
There’s nothing special about Jack in the Box’s French fries; they are the standard ones you get everywhere. As per the restaurant’s ingredient guide, they are cooked in vegetable oil and do not contain any animal-derived product.
§ Seasoned Curly Fries
Crisp and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, Jack in the Box’s curly fries are perfectly seasoned and simply delicious. They’re also cooked in vegetable oil, and hence, are vegan.
§ Potato Wedges
Thick pieces of potato fried to perfection using vegetable oil, Jack in the Box’s potato wedges are no less than the fries. However, when ordering vegan, make sure to get plain potato wedges.
The standard wedges on Jack in the Box menu are Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges, which are obviously non-vegan. Get some vegan sauces separately to make up for the missing cheese sauce.
§ Hash Browns
It’s raining fried potato products at Jack in the Box. The last one on the menu is hash browns. They are also free from animal ingredients and cooked in vegetable oil.
| Note: Even though fries, wedges, and hash browns are essentially vegan, there’s no information about the fryers they are cooked in. We don’t know if they are cooked in the same fryers as the fast-food’s meat or if the restaurant has designated a fryer for them. However, all these items are classified as vegan by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).If you’re a vegan who avoids eating foods cooked in the same pans as meat, I recommend inquiring before placing an order. |
§ Jack’s Teriyaki Bowl
This item on Jack in the Box’s menu comes as a surprise to many because you don’t expect burger joints to offer teriyaki bowls. But Jack in the Box takes the lead here.
The standard teriyaki bowl available at Jack in the Box is non-vegan. But, order it without chicken, and you have a Jack in the Box vegan teriyaki bowl.
Wondering if the teriyaki sauce they use in these bowls is vegan?
It is!
Jack in the Box’s teriyaki sauce does not contain any non-vegan ingredient. Here’s what it is made of:
§ Dips, Sauces, and Spreads
Jack in the box offers a great variety of vegan sauces. Here’s the complete list of Jack in the Box vegan sauces:
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Sweet N’ Sour Dipping Sauce
- Teriyaki Dipping Sauce
- Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Dipping Sauce
- Hot Taco Sauce Packet
- Kikkoman Soy Sauce
- Pride 40% Vegetable Oil Whipped Spread (this is vegan butter)
- Tree Top Apple Sauce Pouch
- Grape Jelly
- Strawberry Jam
- Pancake Syrup
Most online sources list Jack in the Box’s Barbecue Dipping Sauce as vegan, too. However, according to the restaurant’s Allergen Reference Guide, it contains eggs.
Jack in the Box also offers Fire Roasted Salsa, which is completely vegan. You can add it to your fries or wedges for some extra punch of flavors.
§ Beverages
Jack in the Box doesn’t offer any vegan shakes or smoothies. You can, however, enjoy the following vegan drinks at Jack in the Box:
- Coca-Cola
- Diet Coke
- Sprite
- Dr. Pepper
- Diet Dr. Pepper
- Fanta Orange
- Fanta Strawberry
- Minute Maid Lemonade
- Minute Maid Apple Juice
- Hi-C Flashin’ Fruit Punch
- Barq’s Root Beer
- Gold Peak Fresh Brewed Iced Tea
- Fuze Iced Tea
- Fuze Zero Sugar Iced Tea
- High Mountain Arabica Coffee – Black
The variety of beverages may vary across various locations, so always inquire or check the drinks menu at your local Jack in the Box to know all your options.
Doesn’t Jack in the Box Offer Any Vegan Burger or Sandwich?
There is no such thing as Jack in the Box vegan burger. The fast-food restaurant never offered a vegan burger and also doesn’t seem to be planning to offer it anytime soon.
They did, however, introduced two plant-based sandwiches in October 2020. They were called Jack’s Unchicken and Jack’s Spicy Unchicken sandwiches.
However, they were only a limited-time offer and were supposed to be discontinued on December 12, 2020, or until supplies lasted. The sandwiches were only available at certain Jack in the Box outlets in only three states across two cities. These included Salinas and Monterey in California and Reno in Nevada.
Jack in the Box plant-based sandwich patty was made with pea protein. It was essentially a vegetarian sandwich and was not certified vegan. But, you could easily make it vegan by asking for no mayonnaise.
Sadly, Jack in the Box vegan sandwich is no longer available (but why??).
Are Jack in the Box Tacos Vegan?
There has been a considerable debate over Jack in the Box tacos for a long time. There were claims that Jack in the Box tacos do not contain real meat and are suitable for plant-based eaters.
However, when I did my research (with hopes high and fingers crossed), it turned out to be just a rumor. Take a look at what a Jack in the Box employee said on a Reddit post:
Jack in the Box vegan tacos do not exist!
Does Jack in the Box Offer Any Vegan Dessert?
Unfortunately, no! Jack in the Box doesn’t offer any vegan-friendly dessert. (Sorry, sweet lovers.)
More Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s address some more commonly asked questions about the Jack in the box vegan menu to give all the vegans out there a clear idea of what they can and cannot eat at the fast-food restaurant.
§ Are Jack in the Box Egg Rolls Vegan?
Sadly, no! Jack in the Box egg rolls are not vegan – they contain diced pork.
§ Are Onion Rings Vegan at Jack in the Box?
Jack in the Box onion rings are also not vegan. According to the restaurant’s Allergen Reference Guide, they contain milk, which I believe comes from panko breadcrumbs the onion rings are coated in.
§ Are Jack in the Box Fries Vegan?
Jack in the Box fries are recognized as vegan-friendly by PETA.
However, as discussed above, even though they do not contain any animal-derived ingredients, we don’t know if they are cooked in designated fryers or shared ones. So, always confirm before ordering.
§ Are Jack in the Box Curly Fries Vegan?
As per all online sources, including the PETA, Jack in the Box curly fries are vegan. However, there is also confusion regarding their cooking method, as with French fries.
§ What Are Jack in the Box Fries Cooked In?
Both the regular and curly fries are cooked in vegetable oil at Jack in the Box.
§ Are Jack in the Box Tacos Vegan?
Jack in the Box tacos are not vegan. No matter how little in quantity, they still contain meat. They also have cheese.
§ Are Jack in the Box Tiny Tacos Vegan?
The cute little tiny tacos you get at Jack in the Box are no different from regular tacos, apart from a smaller size. This means they may also be non-vegan.
Want to make similar, tiny, vegan-diet tacos for your next get-together with your friends? Here’s a recipe you can try:
§ Are Jack in the Box Tacos Vegetarian?
No, Jack in the Box tacos are not even vegetarian. Although they mainly contain vegetable protein, there’s also some meat in them.
§ Does Jack in the Box Have Vegan Burger?
Jack in the Box doesn’t offer any vegan or even vegetarian burger, to every vegan’s utter disappointment.
§ Is Jack in the Box Vegan Chicken Sandwich Still Available?
As much as we vegans wished for it to become a permanent item on Jack in the Box’s menu, the restaurant has discontinued their Unchicken Sandwiches.
§ Are Jack in the Box Churros Vegan?
Jack in the Box churros are not vegan. The batter they use contains eggs and milk.
§ Does Jack in the Box Offer Vegan Breakfast?
The only item on Jack in the Box’s breakfast menu that is fit for vegans is Hash Browns. All other items contain animal-based ingredients and hence, are non-vegan.
Does Jack in the Box Have Vegetarian Options?
Although Jack in the Box doesn’t offer any veggie burger or sandwich, vegetarians have more food choices than vegans. Jack in the Box vegetarian options include the following:
- Salad – order it without meat
- French Fries
- Seasoned Curly Fries
- Potato Wedges
- Hash Browns
- Teriyaki Bowl
- Onion Rings
- Stuffed Jalapenos
- Pancakes
- All the sauces listed above
- All the drinks listed above
- Ice Cream Shakes – Oreo Cookie, Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry
- Iced Coffee – Original, Caramel, Mocha
- High Mountain Arabica Coffee
- Low-Fat Milk
- Churros
- Donut Holes
- Chocolate Overload Cake
- New York Style Cheese Cake
Vegetarians can also order any Jack in the Box burger or sandwich without the patty; it will be a sort of cheese and veggie sandwich. They can also have Jack in the Box breakfast sandwiches and burritos without meat.
A Final Word – Is Jack in the Box a Good Place for Vegans?
Jack in the Box isn’t a great place for vegans because you can’t get any vegan burger or sandwich there. However, it isn’t the worst fast-food place for vegans either. If you end up at Jack in the Box with your family or friends, you won’t be just relying on French fries.
Order the teriyaki bowl without chicken along with your choice of fries or wedges, a variety of sauces, and a large drink, and you have a decent vegan meal. If you’re a health-conscious vegan, you can order the salad instead of fries.
If you were born and raised in the U.S., you might have already tried Jack in the Box, so you probably already know how these foods taste like. However, in case you are one of the rare few who is not sure how Jack in the Box vegan food items taste, check out the following video to see what a vegan girl thinks about them.
If you are curious to know if there’s any other fast-food chain that offers vegan meals, check out my article about Vegan Options At Sonic – Know Your Choices.
I would like to see more information on the vegan calm