The 21 best vegan and vegetarian menu items from America's biggest fast-food chains, from Taco Bell to McDonald's

Chipotle

Chipotle's assembly line-style set up means that it's quite easy to order vegetarian and vegan options, as well as the vegan and vegetarian bowls on the chain's app. However, according to the CEO, many customers don't know just how many vegan options there are.

"As we get ready to move into Lent or certain seasons where vegetarian or certain non-meat opportunities present themselves, nobody even knows we have sofritas," CEO Brian Niccol told Business Insider in January.

Niccol continued: "Frankly, even if they know we do have sofritas, a lot of them don't even know that it is plant-based."

Best vegetarian and vegan menu items:

• Vegan Bowl: Made with sofritas, brown rice, black beans, tomato and corn salsas, and lettuce.
• Vegetarian Bowl: You can also just order fajita veggies, brown rice, pinto beans, tomato and corn salsas, sour cream, and guacamole.

Domino's

It's not too hard to make Domino's pizza vegetarian, but vegan pizza might seem impossible.

However, according to PETA, vegans can easily turn a pizza vegan by ditching the cheese. At Domino's customers will additionally have to order thin-crust pizza, as the other crusts are not vegan.

Best vegetarian and vegan menu items:

• Thin-crust, cheese-less pizza: Order a custom, thin-crust pizza with no cheese, then add a wealth of veggie toppings.
• Side sauces: According to PETA, Domino's garlic sauce, BBQ sauce, hot buffalo sauce, and Italian dipping cups are all vegan.

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A recently released a list of vegan options that the chain serves during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Best vegetarian and vegan menu items:

• Spicy Southwest Salad: Order the salad without cheese or chicken and with the Chili Lime Vinaigrette.
• Grilled Market Salad: Keep the apples, strawberries, blueberries, romaine lettuce, and baby greens, while substituting extra roasted nuts for the blue cheese and chicken.
• Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap: The wrap — made with salad, red cabbage, and carrots — is vegan if ordered without chicken or cheese. The Light Italian Dressing, Chili Lime Vinaigrette, and Light Balsamic Vinaigrette are all vegan.
• Waffle Fries: The side is 100% vegan, as is the Polynesian Sauce for dipping.

Dunkin'

Dunkin' has a surprisingly long list of vegan options available at the chain.

Best vegetarian and vegan menu items:

• Coffees, lattes, and macchiatos: Hot or iced, these drinks are all vegan if they're made with almond milk.
• Almost every bagel: Cinnamon raisin, everything, plain, sesame — almost all Dunkin' bagels are vegan, except sour cream and onion.
• Hashbrowns: The chain's hashbrowns are vegan.

Pizza Hut

According to PETA, vegans have more options at Pizza Hut than at most other pizza chains.

Best vegetarian and vegan menu items:

• Cheese-less pizza made with Thin 'N Crispy, Hand-Tossed, or Salted Pretzel crust: Add veggie toppings for a vegan pie.
• Cinnamon sticks: Skip the dipping sauce, which is made with milk, and the treat is vegan-approved.

Subway

Subway's menu is adjustable, and the chain has been testing some new meat substitutes. However, there is one classic vegan standout.

Best vegetarian and vegan menu items:

• Veggie Delite: Lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, cucumbers — basically all the vegetables Subway has to offer.

McDonald's

Vegan McNuggets are still out of reach for Americans. And, fries contain "natural beef flavoring." But, there are some vegan and vegetarian options at the fast-food chain.

Best vegetarian and vegan menu items:

• Baked Apple Pie: The dessert is McDonald's only vegan menu item in the US.
• Salads Sans Meat: While not certified vegetarian, customers can ask McDonald's to hold the meat on the Bacon Ranch Salad and Southwest Chicken Salad.

Starbucks

It is relatively easy to make a Starbucks drink vegan by simply swapping traditional milk for soy, almond, or coconut milk. Plus, the chain has some menu items that are essentially designed for vegan and vegetarian customers.

Best vegetarian and vegan menu items:

• Matcha Lemonade: As PETA notes, it's vegan as is.
• Almond Protein Blended Cold Brew: This smoothie contains plant-based protein, cold brew, plus almondmilk, almond butter, and a banana date fruit.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell is a vegetarian and vegan favorite, with 38 vegetarian ingredients resulting in more than eight million possible combinations.

Best vegetarian and vegan menu items:

• Power Menu Burrito: The veggie burrito from the Power Menu is vegan without cheese, sour cream, and avocado ranch sauce.
• Spicy Tostada: Skip the cheese and chipotle sauce, and the tostada is vegan.
• Bean Crunchwrap Supreme: Replace the beef with beans and order it Fresco for a vegan-friendly Crunchwrap.