A carhop bringing your order on rollerblades is undoubtedly fun to see. But, when you’re vegan, you can’t just go to Sonic for the experience.
You want to know if the fast-food chain, primarily known for its extensive and diverse drink menu, offers anything for its vegan customers.
This prompts us to ask: Is anything at Sonic vegan?
Let’s find out!
Does Sonic Have Vegan Options?
It does! However, the options are limited (as expected). Your vegan options at Sonic include:
- French Fries
- Tater tots
- Onion rings (what are you talking about?)
- Fritos corn chips
- Dips, sauces, and condiments
- Veggie toppings
- Drinks (not all, though)
In addition to these, you may also be able to order a custom veggie burger at Sonic. We’ll get to the details later in this article.
In the meantime, let’s dig a little deeper and take a look at all the Sonic vegan options. I also answered some of the most commonly asked questions about Sonic’s menu to get a clear idea about what can vegans eat at Sonic.
Sonic Vegan Options
Check out the following video for a quick review of how Sonic vegan options taste.
Need a breakdown of what each vegan option at Sonic contains? Do you want to know if there’s any controversial item in them? Or, perhaps, you need special instructions on how to order any of these?
Keep reading to know more!
§ French Fries
For vegans, French fries are not just a side. When all else fails, French fries come to the rescue for vegan diners.
However, some places cook fries in lard. Fortunately, that’s not the case at Sonic.
At Sonic, they cook their fries in vegetable oil.
These are just the basic French fries, though; there isn’t anything special about them. However, you can pair them with a vegan sauce and a drink for a quick vegan snack at Sonic.
§ Tater Tots
Crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside, tater tots are incredibly delicious and satisfying. They are inarguably one of the best fried potato snacks ever to exist (kudos to whoever created them).
Vegan tater tot fans can enjoy their favorite snacks at Sonic with peace of mind since these are cooked in vegetable oil.
§ Onion Rings
Yes, you read that right!
Onion rings at Sonic are vegan. Surprising, right?
I was surprised, too, to learn that Sonic’s onion rings do not contain milk or eggs, as per the restaurant’s allergen guide. I don’t know how they did it, but it’s good news for us vegans because it is almost impossible to find vegan onion rings at restaurants.
| Note: Sonic’s French fries, tater tots, and onion rings are considered vegan-friendly. However, we don’t know if they are cooked in designated fryers or shared ones.If you’re a vegan who avoids eating foods with this type of potential cross-contamination, you may want to avoid these fried sides at Sonic. |
§ Corn Chips
Do you like salty, crunchy Fritos corn chips? (I’m suddenly transported to my childhood.) You can get them at Sonic.
While this isn’t something you would visit Sonic for, you can certainly get them as a quick snack to go with your vegan drink. Get Salsa de Sonic, pickles, jalapenos, avocado, and/or grilled onions with them to convert the humble corn chips into nachos.
§ Vegan Dips, Sauces, and Condiments at Sonic
Sonic offers a good variety of vegan sauces and dips that you can pair with sides to enhance the flavor further. Here’s a list of all your options:
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Spicy Mustard
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Asian Sweet Chili Sauce
- BBQ Sauce
- Hickory BBQ Sauce
- Marinara Sauce
- Applesauce (from the kids’ menu)
- Maple-Flavored Syrup
- Strawberry Jam
- Grape Jelly
You can also get the following vegan condiments at Sonic to further enhance the flavor of your savory foods:
- Sweet Relish
- Salsa de Sonic
- Celery Salt
- Salt/Pepper Blend
Note: Some of these sauces, dips, and condiments may not be available at all Sonic locations.
§ Vegan Toppings at Sonic
Sonic offers a range of vegetable toppings. These include:
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Diced onions
- Grilled onions
- Jalapenos
- Avocado
- Grilled bell peppers (red and green)
- Pickles
- Dill pickle chips
- Dill pickle spears
- Hatch green chiles
- Sport peppers
- Sauerkraut
They also have some fruit toppings and add-ons, which are basically for their non-vegan ice creams. So, they’re not really of any use for vegans unless you want to munch on just these toppings:
- Fresh banana
- Maraschino Cherries
- Pecans
- Oreo Cookie piece
- Strawberry topping
- Peanut Butter topping
Pro Tip: If you’re a health-conscious vegan and find yourself at a place where there is no other food stop apart from Sonic, you can order bananas and cherries and pair them with peanut butter toppings for a quick, healthy snack.
Like sauces, dips, and condiments, the exact variety of toppings can vary across different locations. So, always confirm your options at your local Sonic.
§ Vegan Drinks at Sonic
Sonic is best known for its drinks, particularly slushies. You do not only get a wide variety of drinks to choose from (it’s definitely one of the most extensive drinks menus I have seen in a restaurant), but most Sonic drinks also taste good.
As is common knowledge, vegans cannot enjoy all the drinks that they offer at Sonic. To help you save time while ordering, I’ve compiled a list of all the vegan drinks at Sonic. Take a look at your options and decide your next order beforehand.
Vegan Slushes at Sonic
Most of these frozen drinks are vegan at Sonic. For your convenience, however, I am listing down all the vegan slush flavors below:
- Blue Coconut
- Blue Raspberry
- Raspberry Sugar-Free
- Blackberry Sugar-Free
- Cherry
- Diet Cherry Sugar-Free
- Cranberry
- Grape
- Mango Sugar-Free
- Peach Sugar-Free
- French Vanilla
- Powerade Mountain Berry Blast
- Lemonade (real fruit)
- Limeade (real fruit)
- Cherry Limeade (real fruit)
- Strawberry Real Fruit Slush
Sodas and Other Vegan Beverages at Sonic
In addition to a good range of slushes, Sonic also offers the following vegan beverages and soft drinks:
- Coca-Cola
- Coke Zero
- Diet Coke
- Sprite
- Sprite Zero
- Fanta Orange
- Dr. Pepper
- Diet Dr. Pepper
- Powerade Mountain Berry Blast
- Barq’s Root Beer
- Hi-C Fruit Punch
- Apple Juice
- Green Mountain Coffee
- Iced Tea – sweet and unsweetened
- Green Iced Tea- sweet and diet
- Green Mountain Coffee
- Ocean Water
- All lemonade and limeade varieties are also available as non-frozen drinks
Does Sonic Offer Vegan Burger?
Not yet, even though they sort of gave hope to their vegan customers about three years back in their response to a tweet.
Sonic! It’s high time you move beyond appreciating ideas and actually implement them!
Does Sonic Have Veggie Burgers?
Sonic does offer a veggie burger, but only in selected locations. However, it’s not vegan-friendly. According to Sonic’s allergen guide, their Veggie Burger Patty contains eggs (why would you do that?).
Several online sources suggest that you can also make your own veggie burger at Sonic with vegetable toppings, vegan sauces, and condiments. However, you don’t have this option in all Sonic locations.
The two bread varieties at Sonic that do not contain milk and eggs, as per the restaurant’s allergen guideline, are Bagel and Philly rolls. They are also only available in some locations.
But how would you make your own veggie burger if your local Sonic doesn’t have any vegan bread?
| Note: It’s important to mention here that some varieties of bread at Sonic may contain milk and eggs. These include Hamburger Bun, Hot Dog Bun, Texas Toast, and Tortilla.Typically, foods labeled this way have a potential risk of cross-contamination because they are prepared in a facility where they also use eggs and milk. Many vegans may not mind consuming foods that may potentially be cross-contaminated.However, it’s different in Sonic’s case.The fast-food chain sources bread from local manufacturers, so there isn’t one answer that applies to all Sonic outlets. Therefore, always confirm at your local Sonic which of their bread varieties fit a vegan diet. |
Food Items at Sonic That May Appear Vegan but Are Not
The following are some of the food items on the Sonic menu that are often mistaken as vegan but are actually not vegan-friendly:
§ Soft Pretzel Twist
Most online sources classify Sonic’s Soft Pretzel Twist as a vegan-friendly snack. However, when I was doing my research (I was actually trying to find if Sonic still offers Sweet Pretzel Twist), I found some information that made all my excitement disappear.
A Sonic employee commented on a YouTube video that the pretzels are coated with margarine after frying.
It would have been fine because you could still try to ask your local Sonic if they can avoid putting margarine on your pretzel. However, it didn’t end there. I also found a Tweet where the restaurant stated that their pretzels contain eggs and dairy, too.
It came as a huge surprise to me because, according to the restaurant’s allergen guide, Soft Pretzel Twist doesn’t have milk or eggs.
Have they altered their recipe recently? We don’t know. But this is confusing, and if we go by their official response on Twitter, Sonic’s Soft Pretzel Twist is not vegan.
I am not the first one to notice this disparity. A Twitter user also saw it and even highlighted the issue on the same Tweet. However, Sonic didn’t respond to his query.
Vegans are not happy over this misinformation and irresponsible behavior from Sonic.
§ Candy Flavored Slushes
Those colorful candy-flavored slushies that you get at Sonic can be easily mistaken as vegan-friendly because most of their slushes fit the vegan diet. However, they actually contain Nerds, which are not strictly vegan. The red and pink-colored Nerds contain carmine, which is made by crushing cochineal bugs and is non-vegan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s answer some of the most common questions that people ask about specific foods on the Sonic menu to get their vegan status cleared once and for all:
§ Does Sonic Have Impossible Burgers?
No, Sonic doesn’t offer Impossible Burger. In fact, there isn’t any Sonic vegan burger available yet.
§ Are Sonic Tater Tots Vegan?
Sonic’s tater tots are essentially vegan. However, they may be cooked in the same fryers used for non-vegan ingredients.
§ Are Sonic Cinnasnacks Vegan?
No. Sonic’s Cinnasnacks are not vegan-friendly. As highlighted in the restaurant’s allergen guide, they contain eggs and milk.
§ Does Sonic Have Vegan Milkshakes?
As much as we all vegans wish for it, Sonic doesn’t offer any vegan milkshakes. I really hope they consider their vegan customers’ desires, too, soon.
§ Is There Any Sonic Vegan Ice Cream?
No. There isn’t any vegan ice cream available at the fast-food chain.
What About Vegetarians? Is Sonic Vegetarian–Friendly?
Sonic isn’t very vegetarian-friendly either. However, vegetarians can have a decent meal at the fast-food place.
What Can a Vegetarian Eat at Sonic?
Vegetarians can have any of the drinks available at Sonic, except the candy-flavored slushes that contain Nerds. The drink can be paired with any of the following items, depending on your mood and how hungry you are.
Sonic vegetarian options include:
- French fries
- Tater tots
- Onion rings
- Mozzarella sticks
- Veggie Burger
- Breakfast burrito without meat
- Grilled cheese sandwich
- Soft Pretzel Twist
- Cinnasnacks
- French Toast Sticks
- All the sauces, dips, condiments, and veggie toppings
- Ice creams and sundaes
To Sum Up – Is Sonic a Good Place for Vegans?
If you’re looking for a place where you can have a vegan meal, Sonic isn’t the place to go. However, if you want to grab an iced drink, Sonic is a decent place (I wouldn’t call it great because they don’t offer non-dairy milk options for shakes and smoothies). If you don’t mind possible cross-contamination in your food, you can also enjoy a small snack with your drink.
To sum it all up, I wouldn’t want to go to Sonic unless I specifically want a slushie or have a craving for their tater tots or some onion rings (as they’re very hard to find in vegan style).
Read my article about In-N-Out to see if they offer vegan-friendly foods.
