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Vegan Options at Fuddruckers
With veganism on the rise, restaurants worldwide have to rethink their menus to include vegan dishes. Having the option of an entirely vegan menu in all the restaurants is still a far-fetched dream for vegans, but places are getting more vegan aware and friendly.
Today, the same can be said for fast-food restaurants. They want to be able to serve everyone, and that includes vegans. 2021 may start a new age for vegans as many fast-food joints now offer 100% vegan burgers. Still, this cannot be said of all fast-food restaurants. This article will try to shed light on the vegan options at Fuddruckers.
If you’re craving a vegan burger, Fuddruckers will disappoint you. Their menu is vastly made up of animal products. Not only do they use a massive quantity of beef to satisfy meat lovers, but they also offer exotic burgers made with bison and elk. Walking into Fuddruckers and expecting to have a decent meal as a vegan is wishful thinking. But if you are there and have no other choices, you’ll have to improvise to get some nutrition from this burger joint.
What Is This Place?
First started in Texas, Fuddruckers has been around since 1979. It’s a fast-casual-food franchised restaurant that can be found in over 25 states of the U.S. and locations around the world. They claim to have the world’s most fantastic hamburgers and buns. That’s quite a statement, and it’s impossible to test this claim, given that taste is entirely subjective.
Nonetheless, they take their burgers seriously. Their patties are always fresh, never frozen, and 100% USDA All-American premium-cut beef. That’s great, but do they offer their vegan customers such “quality” and freshness? When it comes to burgers, they do not have any vegan options. But it looks like they’ve been experimenting with a beyond-meat burger, which has the potential of becoming a vegan option. Still, as of 2021, none of their burgers are vegan-friendly.
The Concept
The dining concept is quite brilliant. You order what you’d like to have, and once it’s done, you can take your burger to the fresh produce bar. There you can decorate your burger with all the right fixings:
• Sun-ripened tomatoes
• Hand-leafed lettuce
• Sliced onions
• Pico de gallo
• Fudds cheese sauces
• And more!
The fast-paced and high-energy atmosphere makes it an excellent place for people to have a quick bite, refuel, and be on their way. If you end up at Fuddruckers and you’d like to enjoy the company of friends, there is a way to put together a makeshift meal at Fuddruckers, but you’ll have to be inventive.
The Menu
Fuddruckers’ menu has several sections:
• Fudd Famous
• Create Your Crave
• Exotics
• Chicken
• Salads
• Kids
• Drinks
• Baked Good
• Sides
We’ll review each section to ensure we don’t miss any vegan possibilities. After reading this article, you’ll be able to create a makeshift vegan meal at Fuddruckers.
Fudd Famous
The Fudd Famous section is made up of burgers. There is only one burger on this list that you may be interested in, but beware, it is not vegan. The Beyond Burger has the most potential. It’s made with a plant-based patty that mimics beef’s taste, yet it uses no animal products. So why isn’t this burger vegan?
There are many reasons why Fuddruckers hasn’t advertised the Beyond Burger as a vegan-friendly option. The most obvious reason is that they can’t guarantee that your burger will not come into contact with animal products found on other burgers.
Another reason could be that their buns aren’t vegan-friendly. Finding a list of ingredients and allergens from their official site is impossible. Yet, other sources claim that Fuddruckers use eggs in their buns.
It could be that the place hasn’t been getting strong demand for a vegan burger. It may complicate their operation, making them feel that the investment isn’t worth the reward. Whatever it may be, stay away from this section of the menu.
Create Your Crave
Creating your own is always an excellent way for vegans to create their meals, and when the option is available, it makes things so much easier. Unfortunately, since Fuddruckers doesn’t offer a vegan patty, you won’t be able to create your meal.
Exotics
Instead of passing this section entirely, I feel it’s important to point out the options offered in this menu. This is genuinely a fast-food restaurant like no other. How many places can boast of providing bison and elk meat burgers? Not many, that’s for sure. This section is not vegan-friendly and should tell you much about what type of place Fuddruckers is. From a vegan ethical perspective, this place should be avoided even if they decide to offer a vegan burger.
Chicken
Pass this one, my vegan friend. You’ll lose your feathers trying to find something to eat in this section.
Salads
Salads are always the most comfortable way out for us vegans. They’re healthy, easy to modify, and the safest option on most menus. Here are the options at Fuddruckers:
• Grilled Chicken Salad (grilled chicken Monterey jack & cheddar cheese, smokehouse bacon, tomatoes, croutons, eggs)
• Chicken Caesar Salad (grilled chicken, parmesan cheese, croutons, Caesar dressing)
• Southwest Salad (grilled chicken Monterey jack & cheddar cheese, Pico de Gallo, guacamole, sour cream)
• Napa Valley Salad (grilled chicken, Romain lettuce, blue cheese, apples, dried cranberries, almonds)
Well, it looks like none of the listed salads are vegan. You might notice that grilled chicken is present in every salad. That can be easily removed, but let’s look at how you’d order a salad at Fuddruckers.
“Hello, may I get a Grilled Chicken Salad without grilled chicken, Monterey jack, cheddar cheese, bacon, croutons, or eggs, please?” Visualize the cashier’s face when you ask for tomatoes for lunch.
All the other choices are similar. You’d have to choose the ingredients you want and hope that the restaurant will accommodate your preferences. You could order like this: “Hello, may I have a salad with Romain lettuce, apples, dried cranberries, tomatoes, Pico de Gallo, and guacamole, please?”
This may work, but what a struggle.
Kids
The little ones are encouraged to eat hamburgers, grilled cheese, hot dogs, or chicken tenders. Should something be said about the unhealthiness of the listed choices? Never mind, I’m sure you get the idea.
Baked Goods
Baked goods won’t be part of your meal at Fuddruckers. The cookies, brownies, or crispy squares aren’t vegan. Sorry guys; better luck next time.
Sides
Finally, a section that you’ll be able to indulge in! You can choose:
• Sweet potato fries
• Wedge-cut fries
• Side garden salad (ask for no croutons)
• Fudd tots & onion rings (unsure)
If you’re anything like me, a side (or two) of delicious French fries can make my day and, on multiple occasions, my meal. The sweet potato fries and wedges should be 100% vegan. The garden salad should be fine but ask for no croutons. The Fudd tots and onion rings all depend on how they bread them. Ask if they use eggs. If you can confirm that all they use is flour to bread the tots and rings, you may have two more options to choose from.
Conclusion
Fuddruckers is not a vegan-friendly fast-food joint. Its menu is too deeply rooted in animal products, and its “vegan” alternatives only include a handful of sides. The Beyond Burger shows potential but hasn’t been confirmed as a real vegan burger.
If you find yourself at Fuddruckers with friends or family, you’ll be forced to build a makeshift salad or order from the sides menu. Indeed, a vegan meal at Fuddruckers is nothing to rave about. You’ll likely leave with an empty stomach and an unpleasant meal experience. Other fast-food restaurants are making more of an effort to accommodate vegan dieters. In short, Fuddruckers should not be added to your wishlist.