Updated February 2024! Several years ago, a reader Nancy recommended Bob Evans Restaurants to us. “Bob Evans in Lexington KY was absolutely wonderful. Attributes included: the server knew what to suggest, the server checked it out with the chef, the chef cleaned the grill before cooking.” Bob Evans also offers an allergen menu, which we paired up with information from their current menu and their staff to create this detailed dairy-free menu with custom order options.
Bob Evans Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options
Though most of their menu options contain milk, Bob Evans restaurants have several dairy-free items and sides to make custom ordering quite easy. They are outlined below. Be aware of special order requirements in parentheses () next to the menu items, and see the Heads Up notes to help fill in the blanks. Please note that this guide is for the U.S. locations. Options may vary in other countries.
Butter Note: Bob Evans loves dairy butter! Always make sure dairy butter isn’t used to grill, toast, finish, or in any way prepare your meal. Most locations should have their dairy-free margarine available, if you are seeking something buttery.
Fryer Note: We have to assume Bob Evans uses shared fryers with items that contain milk. Make sure to verify at your location before ordering any fried food if you are concerned about potential cross contamination with allergens.
Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: All of the items listed below are made without egg, peanut, and tree nut, unless clear in the name or otherwise noted in parentheses. They don’t offer gluten-free bread at Bob Evans, but all of the sauces, meats (aside from the breaded and fried items), and sides listed here are made without gluten. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.
Bread
- Banana Nut Bread (contains egg, tree nuts)
- Brioche Bread (not the Brioche Buns)
- Rye Bread
- Sourdough Bread
- Wheat Bread
- White Bread
Heads Up! Their Dinner Rolls, Brioche Buns, and Biscuits (all varieties) do contain milk. Please note, there are some old allergen charts floating around on the internet with outdated bakery / bread information. We update with the most current allergen data available regularly!
Breakfast
- Build-Your-Own Omelet (no butter, sub dairy-free bread for biscuits) (contains egg)
- Rise & Shine Breakfast (no butter, sub dairy-free bread for biscuits) (contains egg)
- The Big Egg Breakfast (no butter, sub dairy-free bread for biscuits)
- Bacon
- Chicken Sausage
- Ham
- Hash Browns
- Home Fries
- Sausage Links
- Sausage Patties
Heads Up! Eggs are made to order at Bob Evans – just make sure the preparation is without butter or any other type of dairy. Their Oatmeal is made with milk, but you might be able to order it prepared with water. If so, some dairy-free toppings include their Blueberries, Brown Sugar, Chocolate Chips, Cinnamon Sugar, and dairy-free Margarine.
Burgers & Sandwiches
- All American BLT (contains egg)
- Bacon Burger (no cheese, sub dairy-free bread for bun) (order no mayo for egg-free)
- Burger (no cheese, sub dairy-free bread for bun) (order no mayo for egg-free)
- Farmhouse Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken Sandwich (no cheese, sub dairy-free bread for bun) (contains egg)
- Rise & Shine Burger (no cheese, sub dairy-free bread for bun) (contains egg)
Heads Up! Make sure the bread is unbuttered and that the proteins are not grilled with butter. You can also custom order a stripped down Pot Roast Sandwich without dairy (no gravy either!). But the Grilled Chicken at Bob Evans does contain milk.
Other Entrees
- Fork-Tender Pot Roast with dairy-free sides (no gravy, sub dairy-free bread for rolls)
- Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken with dairy-free sides (sub dairy-free bread for rolls) (contains egg)
- Hickory Smoked Ham Steaks (sub dairy-free side for mashed potatoes and gravy)
- Homestyle Fried Chicken Tenders with dairy-free sides (sub dairy-free bread for rolls)
Heads Up! Make sure no butter is for cooking or finishing your meal. See the Farmhouse Sides below for dairy-free side options, and the bread options above. The Grilled Chicken, Slow Roasted Chicken, Turkey, Country Fried Steak, Great Alaskan Cod, Lemon Pepper Sole, and Fried Shrimp at Bob Evans do contain milk.
Kids
- Homestyle Fried Chicken Tenders (see dairy-free sides and desserts below)
- Lil’ Farmer Breakfast (no butter, sub dairy-free bread for hotcakes)
Heads Up! The Turkey and the Burger Buns do contain milk.
Soup
Heads Up! Their Chicken-N-Noodles soup does contain milk.
Salad
- Bob Evans Wildfire Chicken Salad with Fried Chicken (no cheese, no tortilla strips, sub dairy-free bread) (contains egg)
- Cobb Salad (sub fried chicken, no cheese, sub dairy-free dressing, sub dairy-free bread) (contains egg)
- Farmhouse Garden Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
Dairy-Free Salad Dressings: Colonial Dressing, French Dressing (contains egg), Honey Mustard Dressing (contains egg)
Heads Up! The Croutons, Roasted Pecans, and Tortilla Strips at Bob Evans do contain milk. The Italian Dressing also surprisingly contains milk.
Shareables & Sides
- Bacon
- Baked Potato, Plain
- Chicken Sausage
- Coleslaw (contains egg)
- Farmhouse Garden Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
- French Fries
- Fresh Fruit
- Green Beans with Ham
- Hash Browns
- Hickory Smoked Ham
- Home Fries
- Sausage Links
- Sausage Patties
Heads Up! Their Bread Dressing and Glazed Carrots do contain milk. The Broccoli and Corn are buttered, but you might be able to order them without butter.
Dessert
- Banana Nut Bread (contains egg, tree nuts)
- Triple Berry Pie (seasonal)
Heads Up! The other pies at Bob Evans, including the Apple Pie, do contain milk.
Beverages
Heads Up! Bob Evans doesn’t offer a dairy-free milk alternative or dairy-free creamer for their coffee drinks at the corporate level. But you can ask at your location as they might have an option locally.
Proteins
- Bacon
- Beef Burger Patty
- Beef Pot Roast
- Breakfast Sausage Links – Chicken and Pork
- Breakfast Sausage Patties – Pork
- Chicken Breast, Hand-Breaded
- Chicken Tenders, Breaded
- Ham
Heads Up! The Country Fried Steak, Steak Tips, Slow Roasted Chicken, Grilled Chicken, Fried Shrimp, Lemon Pepper Sole, and Sliced Turkey at Bob Evans contain milk.
Other Sauces, Condiments, and Toppings
- Bacon Bites
- Blueberries
- Brown Sugar
- Chocolate Chips
- Cinnamon Chips (contains gluten)
- Cinnamon Sugar (contains gluten)
- Cranberries, Dried
- Cranberry Relish
- Margarine (NOT the Butter Blend)
- Mayonnaise (contains egg)
- Pickle
- Powdered Sugar
- Sauce, Chocolate
- Sauce, Tartar (contains egg)
- Sauce, Wildfire
- Syrup, Vanilla
- Topping, Blueberry
Heads Up! The Honey Roasted Pecans, Tortilla Strips, and Croutons at Bob Evans contain milk. All of the Gravies, Hollandaise Sauce, Lime Cream Sauce, Caramel Sauce, and Whipped Topping also contain milk.
Bob Evans Vegan Menu Guide
Vegan Mains & Sides
- Farmhouse Garden Salad with Colonial Dressing (no cheese, no croutons)
- Oatmeal prepared with Water (toppings below)
- Baked Potato, Plain
- French Fries
- Fresh Fruit
- Hash Browns
- Home Fries
Vegan Breads
- Brioche Bread (not the Brioche Buns)
- Rye Bread
- Sourdough Bread
- Wheat Bread
- White Bread
Other Vegan Sauces & Toppings
- Blueberries
- Brown Sugar
- Chocolate Chips
- Cinnamon Chips
- Cinnamon Sugar
- Cranberries, Dried
- Cranberry Relish
- Margarine (NOT the Butter Blend)
- Pickle
- Powdered Sugar
- Sauce, Chocolate
- Sauce, Wildfire
- Syrup, Vanilla
- Topping, Blueberry
Vegan Dessert
- Triple Berry Pie
This Post is for Informational Purposes Only
Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, food sourcing, and restaurant protocols are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure they can accommodate your situation. This post is for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as advice.
There is always a risk for potential cross-contamination of allergens in any commercial kitchen. If cross-contamination is an issue for you, always speak with the manager to ensure that your meal can be safely prepared. Listings here do not guarantee that a restaurant is safe enough for your individual needs. Only you can make that decision.
Each location of a chain restaurant has different management and staff, and some might have different owners. This means differences in processes, ingredients used, menu options, and food sourcing can occur. Always verify the safety of your order for your needs at your current location.
Where to Find Bob Evans Restaurants
This home-style restaurant chain operates over 400 locations, primarily in the East North Central, mid-Atlantic, and Southern United States. See the Bob Evans website below for locations, phone numbers, hours, and full menus.
Website: www.bobevans.com
Allergen menu change
I just recently tried to order the Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken but be aware the batter has milk in it!! The grilled chicken does not have dairy!!
Response from Go Dairy Free
Hi Faith, thank you for letting us know about this concern. I’m not sure who informed you of this, but we have verified that the information above is still correct. The hand-breaded chicken is still made without dairy and the grilled chicken does still contain milk. It’s possible that your server was misinformed (or that they confused egg with dairy), or that your location has taken liberties in sourcing ingredients. You can ask them to verify at your specific location.
Very informative
Very informative
5 Comments
Bob Evans recently changed their menu. Now, your only options are basically soup or eggs.
I’m surprised Bob Evans is on this list. They are nothing but dairy.
Hi Paula, please note that these are reader recommendations from people like you. Your own comments about your experience at Bob Evans, good or bad, are welcome here!
I ate at a Bob Evans tonight in Powell, OH, after reviewing their allergen menu. The server had no idea what to suggest, did not have a copy of the allergen menu on site- and ended up serving me a hamburger with the bun slathered in butter. This was after I told her I was allergic to dairy. Not a good experience!
What a bummer! Thanks so much for sharing your experience at that restaurant Megan – I’m sure it will help many!