Navigating the Menu: Are There Any Vegan Options at Red Robin?

October 8, 2025 •

3 min read

According to a 2024 survey, more than 3 million Americans identify as vegan, driving restaurants to offer more plant-based alternatives. If you're heading to the popular chain and asking, 'Are there any vegan options at Red Robin?', the answer is yes, but successfully navigating the menu requires strategic modifications.

Quick Summary

Red Robin offers multiple vegan-friendly choices by substituting the patty, bun, and condiments on many burgers. Diners can enjoy plant-based burger patties, bottomless steamed broccoli, side salads, and a variety of sauces, though modifications are necessary to ensure the meal is entirely vegan.

Key Points

Choose the Right Patty: Red Robin offers both their Ancient-Grain Veggie Patty and the Impossible™ Burger, both of which are vegan.
Modify Your Bun: Avoid brioche and opt for the Classic Sesame Bun, Tavern Bun, or a lettuce wrap to make your burger vegan.
Hold the Dairy and Eggs: Remove cheese and mayo from your burger and request a vegan-friendly sauce instead, like salsa or guacamole.
Skip the Fries: The bottomless steak fries are not vegan due to shared fryers and/or ingredients containing milk or eggs, so choose another side.
Enjoy Safe Sides: Reliable vegan sides include bottomless steamed broccoli, a customized house salad, black beans, and corn.
Ask About Sauces: Several sauces like Island Heat, Scorpion Sauce, and Whiskey River BBQ are vegan, but always confirm.
Mind Cross-Contamination: For those with severe allergies or strict preferences, be aware of shared cooking surfaces, especially fryers, as noted on Red Robin's website.

Savoring Plant-Based Burgers at Red Robin

For those seeking a vegan burger experience, Red Robin provides several excellent starting points. The most crucial step is selecting a plant-based patty and understanding how to build your burger from there.

The Ancient Grain and Impossible™ Patties

Red Robin offers two primary vegan patty options to anchor your meal:

The Ancient-Grain-and-Quinoa Veggie Patty: This custom-blended, house-made patty is explicitly confirmed to be vegan and serves as a delicious, wholesome base for any burger. It's often a complimentary swap for meat patties.
The Impossible™ Burger Patty: This popular plant-based patty is also available, though it may incur an upcharge. It provides a meat-like flavor and texture for those craving a more traditional burger feel.

When ordering, you must specify your choice of patty. Many standard menu burgers can be customized for a plant-based diet, such as the Madlove Burger or Guacamole Bacon Burger, by swapping the meat for a vegan patty.

Customizing Your Vegan Burger

To ensure your burger is completely vegan, you must pay attention to more than just the patty. Several common burger components contain animal products.

Bun: Standard brioche buns are not vegan. You should request either the Classic Sesame Bun, Tavern Bun, or a lettuce wrap (known as "Wedgie Style").
Toppings: Standard toppings like cheese and mayo are not vegan and must be excluded. Other potential non-vegan items to remove may include bacon or cheese crisps. Fresh, naturally vegan toppings like lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles are always safe.
Sauces: Be mindful of the sauces on your chosen burger. Many, like campfire sauce or chipotle aioli, contain eggs or dairy. Instead, opt for one of Red Robin's several vegan-friendly sauce options.

Choosing Your Sides Wisely

Red Robin's famous bottomless fries are a common point of confusion. Despite some conflicting information online, the company's official position and reports from numerous vegan diners confirm they are not vegan. They contain milk and eggs or are prepared in a shared fryer with animal products, increasing the risk of cross-contamination.

Fortunately, there are still several great side options available:

Bottomless Steamed Broccoli: This is a safe and healthy bottomless option.
Bottomless House Salad: Request it without croutons and cheese, and ask for the Oil & Vinegar dressing.
Black Beans: A simple, protein-rich, and flavorful side.
Other Veggies: Sides like corn and carrots are also safe.
Guacamole, Salsa, and Chips: A great appetizer or side option, just be sure to confirm the chips are fried separately or in a clean fryer.

Vegan Sauces and Extras

For those who love extra flavor, Red Robin has several vegan-friendly sauce and topping options:

House-Made Salsa: A fresh and zesty topping or dip.
Guacamole: Creamy smashed avocado is always a good choice.
Island Heat Sauce: Adds a sweet and spicy kick.
Scorpion Sauce: For those who want more heat.
Whiskey River BBQ Sauce: A classic BBQ option that is vegan-friendly.
Oil & Vinegar Dressing: The only vegan dressing option for salads.

Vegan-Friendly Order Comparison

This table illustrates the necessary modifications for a popular burger.


Item	Standard Impossible™ Cheeseburger	Vegan-Friendly Version
Patty	Impossible™ Burger Patty	Impossible™ Burger Patty
Bun	Tavern Bun	Classic Sesame Bun or Lettuce Wrap
Toppings	American cheese, mayo, pickle relish, onion, pickles, lettuce, tomato	Hold the cheese and mayo; add house-made salsa and avocado
Sauce	Mayo	Guacamole, House-Made Salsa
Side	Bottomless Steak Fries	Bottomless Steamed Broccoli or House Salad (no cheese/croutons)

How to Order Confidently and Avoid Cross-Contamination

When dining at Red Robin, communicating your dietary needs clearly is key. State that you need your order to be "vegan" to trigger the necessary precautions. While Red Robin is generally accommodating, it's always wise to ask about shared fryers for any fried items like chips or tortilla strips. The company's nutritional information often includes disclaimers about shared equipment, so if you are highly sensitive, it is best to stick to non-fried options like salads and steamed broccoli.

Conclusion: A Satisfying Vegan Meal Awaits

In conclusion, if you're asking, "Are there any vegan options at Red Robin?" the answer is a resounding yes, though it requires a few simple modifications. By swapping to a plant-based patty like the Ancient Grain or Impossible™ Burger, selecting a vegan bun, and choosing safe sides like steamed broccoli or a house salad, you can enjoy a flavorful and filling meal. Red Robin's transparency about ingredients and readiness to customize makes it a relatively friendly destination for vegan diners seeking a classic American burger experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Red Robin's steak fries are not vegan. The company's nutritional information and multiple vegan guides confirm that the fries contain milk and eggs or are fried in shared oil with animal products, making them unsuitable for a vegan diet.

Yes, Red Robin offers two main vegan patty options: their custom-blended Ancient-Grain Veggie Patty and the Impossible™ Burger patty. You can substitute either of these for the meat patty on most burgers.

To make your burger vegan, you can request the Classic Sesame Bun, Tavern Bun, or a lettuce wrap (known as "Wedgie Style") instead of the standard brioche bun, which is not vegan.

Several sides are vegan-friendly, including bottomless steamed broccoli, a house salad (ordered without cheese or croutons and with oil and vinegar dressing), black beans, carrots, and corn.

Vegan sauces include house-made salsa, guacamole, Island Heat sauce, Scorpion Sauce, and Whiskey River BBQ Sauce. Always ask to confirm when ordering.

For appetizers, the guacamole, salsa, and chips can be a vegan option, but ask about shared fryers for the chips. Red Robin does not offer any vegan desserts.

To customize a burger, first, choose a vegan patty (Ancient Grain or Impossible™). Next, request a vegan bun (Classic Sesame, Tavern, or lettuce wrap). Finally, specify to hold any non-vegan items like cheese and mayo, and add your choice of vegan sauces and toppings.