Denny’s is famous across America for its all-day breakfast and fluffy pancakes. But does this classic chain have anything to satisfy its vegan and vegetarian guests? Let’s find out!
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If you’re exploring more plant-based eats, check out our guide to vegan and vegetarian options at Subway and Panera Bread. Both offer some tasty, customizable meals for vegan and vegetarian diners.
What is Vegan at Denny’s?
It always seems like a challenge for vegans to find suitable options at a place traditionally centered around eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Fear not! Denny's improved its vegan options in January 2020 by introducing a customizable Beyond Burger. However, in 2023, they made a significant change, discontinuing the Beyond Burger and opting for Dr. Praeger's Veggie Patty instead, leaving some vegans undecided or unhappy about the shift.
Explore what else vegan fellows can enjoy other than this veggie patty burger.
Denny's Vegan Breakfast
- Plant-Based Pancake Slam Hash Browns: Two multigrain wheat, plant-based pancakes made with flaxseeds, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Served with seasonal fruit and crispy hash browns.
- Seasoned, Red-Skinned Potatoes
- English Muffin: Top with jam or jelly.
- Plain Bagel: Top with Jam or Jellies.
- Slices of Toast: Use 7-Grain Toast. Garlic bread and white bread are not vegan as they contain milk.
- Oatmeal: Order without milk.
- Grits: Order Without Milk
- Seasonal Fruits
Denny’s serves breakfast 24/7, so you can enjoy your favorites any time of the day or night.
Dr. Praeger’s Veggie Patty Burger
At Denny’s, you can order most of their burgers and replace the patty with a Dr. Praeger’s® Veggie Patty for an extra $2—remember to leave out the bacon, eggs, and cheese.
Vegan Sides
Denny’s has a nice selection of vegan sides to choose from, including:
- French Fries
- Seasoned Fries
- Wavy Cut French Fries
- Baked Potato
- Sauteed Vegetables (Broccoli, Mushroom, Zucchini, and Squash)
- Sweet Corn
- Chips and Salsa
- Whole Grain Rice
- Garden Side Salad: Order without cheese and croutons. Choose Italian or Balsamic salad dressing, as they are vegan.
Note: Request the staff to sauté your veggies without butter.
Breads and Buns
Breads that are vegan at Denny's include
- Artisan Bread
- Brioche Bun
- Flour Tortilla
- Hoagie Roll
- Potato Bread
- Rye Bread
- 7-Grain Bread
- Split Top Bun
- Sourdough
Sauces, Toppings, and Syrups
- Ketchup
- BBQ Sauce
- Mustard
- Sriracha
- Oil and vinegar for salads.
- Pico de Gallo
- Salsa
- 5-Pepper Sauce
- Heinz 57
- Savory Herb Sauce
- Jams and Jellies
- Mango Habanero
- Chocolate Syrup
- Strawberry Sauce
- Sweetened Pancake Syrup
- Unsweetened Pancake Syrup
- Peanut Butter and Margarine.
Toppings
To make your vegan meal more appetizing, there are some vegan meal toppings you can try
- Herb Glazed Corn
- Fire-roasted Bell Peppers and Onions
- Grilled Sliced Jalapeños
- Grilled Mushrooms
- Caramelized Onions
- Sliced Pickles
- Vegetable Medley
Salads
Denny’s doesn’t have vegan or vegetarian salads on the menu, but you can make one by skipping the meat, cheese, croutons, and eggs.
Salads at Denny’s aren’t very satisfying after customization. You’ll usually just end up with a simple salad with lettuce and some veggies, but still pay full price. If you’re really craving a salad, go for the side salad instead—it costs about a third of the price of other salads.
For dressing, go with Balsamic or Light Italian, since those are the only vegan options.
Vegan Beverages
Complete your dining experience with one of these tasty beverages.
- Soft Drinks
- Signature Diner Blend Coffee
- Black Tea
- Fresh Brewed Iced Tea
- HI-C® Fruit Punch
- DR PEPPER®
- Fuze Raspberry Tea
- Minute Maid Lemonade
- Minute Maid Juice (Orange + Apple)
DENNY'S Vegetarian Options
For vegetarians, Denny’s has a pretty wide menu. You can enjoy all the vegan dishes plus a few extra options.
Denny's Vegetarian All Day Breakfast
- 2-Egg Breakfast Slam
- Plant-Based Pancake Slam
- Build Your Own Grand Slam ( Without Meat)
- Berry Stuffed French Toast
- Strawberry Vanilla Crepes
- Stack of Cinnamon Roll Pancake
- Stack of Choconana Pancake
- Stack of Double Berry Banana Pancake
- Stack of Double Berry Banana Strawberry Pancakes
- Stack of Double Berry Banana Strawberry Pancakes
- Stack of Hearty 9-Grain Pancakes
- Stack of Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes
- Jr. Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Kid's Birthday Pancakes
- Egg (Scrambled, Scrambled with Cheese, Egg White, Sunny Side Up, Over Easy, Over Easy, Over Hard)
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- English Muffin
- Maple Stuffed Donut Holes
- Hash Brown
- Waffle
- French Toast
- Toast and Egg
Vegetarian Starter, Sides, and Mains
Denny's vegetarian menu offers a lot more variety and flexibility for plant-based eaters. These options are
- Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
- Beer-Battered Onion Rings
- Mac & Cheese (Kids menu)
- All Salads without Meat
- All Burgers with Veggie Patty and No Bacon
- Any Handhelds and Sandwiches without meat
- Zesty Nachos (Without Nacho Meat)
Dessert and Shakes
- Cookie Dough Lover's Pie
- New York Style Cheesecake
- Brownie Sundae with Oreo® Pieces
- Milk Shakes (Strawberry, Chocolate, Vanilla, Oreo, Chocolate Cinnamon)
In addition to the above-mentioned options, customizing your order as a vegetarian is straightforward. Just exclude bacon, sausage, or any meat item from your chosen menu items. Avoid selections with tomato sauce, bourbon sauce, and gravy, as these typically contain meat.
Denny’s has come a long way in offering more plant-based meals. Whether you’re vegan or vegetarian, you’ll find something to enjoy with a few custom tweaks. You won’t find plenty of vegan options at Denny’s, but vegetarians are in for a treat.
Still, Denny’s is making real efforts to serve both vegan and vegetarian guests with solid steps like adding a veggie patty for burgers and a plant-based Slam for breakfast.
All the above information is taken from Denny's Website and their Allergen Information. Restaurants often update their menus and ingredients, so if you notice any changes from what we’ve listed here, feel free to message us, and we’ll update the information.
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