Updated February 2024! A&W Canada separated from the corporate A&W Restaurants back in 1972, which is why we created this separate listing. It is reportedly Canada’s second largest burger chain, and has many more dairy-free options than the A&W Restaurants in the U.S. In fact, almost the entire menu at A&W Canada can be ordered without dairy! We’ve outlined the choices below along with custom order options and a full vegan menu guide.
A&W Canada Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Custom & Vegan Options
This menu guide includes dairy-free menu options first, followed by custom order components. 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 Canadian locations. Options may vary in other countries. If you are in the U.S., see our U.S. A&W Dairy-Free Menu Guide.
Butter & Seasoning Note: The Margarine, Pan Coating, and Burger Seasoning used at A&W Canada are all reportedly made without any top allergen ingredients (though refined soy oil might be used). They do not use real butter. They reportedly use canola oil for deep frying at A&W Canada.
Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: Most of the items listed below contain a “made in the same manufacturing facility as items containing milk” note for at least one component. But all of the items listed below are prepared in the same facility as items containing milk. And all fried items might be cooked in a shared fryer. As always, speak with the manager if you are concerned about any potential cross-contamination with allergens. A&W does offer lettuce wraps for gluten-free burgers. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.
Breakfast
- Egger Breakfast Sandwich (no cheese)
- Bacon & Egger Breakfast Sandwich (no cheese)
- Breakfast Wrap (no cheese)
- All Canadian Special (no sausage, eggs not scrambled)
- Classic Bacon & Eggs (eggs not scrambled)
- Hash Browns
Heads Up! The Sausage Patties and Sausage Links at A&W Canada contain milk. At last check, both the Sesame Seed Buns and English Muffin were made without milk ingredients (for the breakfast sandwiches), but the Croissants do contain milk..
Burgers
- Baby Burger
- Bacon Uncle Burger (no cheese)
- Beyond Meat Burger
- Buddy Burger
- Double Buddy Burger
- Double Mozza Burger (no cheese)
- Double Teen Burger (no cheese)
- Grandpa Burger
- Mama Burger
- Mozza Burger (no cheese)
- Papa Burger
- Spicy Piri Piri Beef Buddy (limited offer)
- Spicy Piri Piri Potato Buddy (limited offer)
- Teen Burger (no cheese)
Heads Up! The Mozza Burgers without cheese might seem pointless, but they do have a non-dairy Mozza Sauce on them.
Chicken
- Bacon Chicken Wrap
- BLT Chicken Burger
- BLT Chicken Cruncher
- Chicken Buddy Burger
- Chicken Strips
- Chubby Chicken Burger
- Chubby Chicken Cruncher
- Double Chicken Buddy Burger
- Nashville Hot Chicken Cruncher
- Spicy Chipotle Chicken Wrap (no cheese)
- Spicy Habanero Chicken Burger
- Spicy Piri Piri Chicken Buddy (limited offer)
Dairy-Free Dipping Sauces: Barbecue, Honey Mustard, Chipotle Mayonnaise, Sweet & Sour
Kids Menu
- Kids Buddy Burger Pack (sub dairy-free beverage)
- Kids Chicken Buddy Burger Pack (sub dairy-free beverage)
- Kids Chicken Strips Pack (sub dairy-free beverage)
Sides
- Gravy
- Hash Browns
- Onion Rings
- Poutine (no curds)
- Russet Thick-Cut Fries
- Sweet Potato Fries
Heads Up! Keep in mind, this is the Canadian A&W guide. Some items, like the Onion Rings, contain milk in the U.S. And as noted above, shared fryers might be used with items that contain milk. Check at your location if concerned about potential cross contamination.
Dessert
- Root Beer Lollipops
Heads Up! All of the Turnovers at A&W Canada do contain milk.
Blended Beverages
- Frozen A&W Root Beer
- Frozen Lemonade
- Frozen Strawberry Lemonade
- Mixed Berry Smoothie with Acai
- Strawberry Smoothie
Coffee Drinks
- Latte with Oat Beverage – Hot or Iced
- Caramel Latte with Oat Beverage – Hot or Iced
- Vanilla Latte with Oat Beverage – Hot or Iced
Heads Up! The Chocolate Sauce and Chai Tea Mix at A&W do contain milk, so the Mocha and Chai drinks cannot be made without milk.
Bread
- Brioche Bun
- English Muffin
- Flour Tortilla
- Hamburger Bun
- Sesame Seed Bun
- White Bread / Toast
- Whole Wheat Bread / Brown Toast
Heads Up! The Croissant does contain milk.
Protein
- Bacon
- Beef Patty (made with A&W Seasoning)
- Beyond Meat Burger Patty
- Breaded Chicken
- Chicken Buddy Portion
- Chubby Chicken
- Egg
Heads Up! The Sausage Patties and Sausage Links at A&W Canada contain milk.
Garnishes
- Bread & Butter Pickles
- Grilled Onions
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Pickles
- Sliced Onion
Dipping Sauces
- Barbecue Dipping Sauce
- Chipotle Mayonnaise
- Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
- Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce
Other Condiments & Sauces
- Blueberry Jam
- Chipotle Mayo
- Chubby Mayo
- Grape Jelly
- Habanero Aioli
- Honey
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Mozza Sauce
- Mustard
- Orange Marmalade
- Peanut Butter
- Piri Piri Aioli
- Spicy Hot Nashville Glaze
- Sweet Teen Sauce
- Raspberry Jam
- Strawberry Jam
- Table Syrup
Seasonings for Cooking
- A&W Seasoning
- Canola Pan Coating
- Margarine
Vegan Menu Guide
- Beyond Meat Burger (no mayo)
- Potato Buddy (no aioli or mayo)
- Hash Browns
- Onion Rings
- Russet Thick-Cut Fries
- Sweet Potato Fries (no chipotle mayo)
- English Muffin
- Brown Toast
- White Toast
- Root Beer Lollipops
- Barbecue Dipping Sauce
- Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce
- Jams and Jellies
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Margarine
- Peanut Butter
- Table Syrup
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 A&W in Canada
There are nearly 1000 A&W locations in Canada. See the website below for addresses, hours, and online ordering.
Website: www.aw.ca
Delicious dairy-free options and great service!
Delicious diary-free options (most things!) and any time we have had an issue with our orders they’ve remedied it quickly and politely. Great staff at the St. Albert location!
Watch cross contamination
The a&w we tried in saskatoon was not dairy free, or at least not cross contaminate free 🙁 ordered a burger without cheese for our son and he still had a bad reaction. Be careful.
Response from Go Dairy Free
I’m so sorry this happened to you. You should definitely report this to the manager. Please be aware that no restaurant is free from potential cross contamination with allergens. There are so many variables, from ingredient sourcing, to accidental equipment usage, to what an employee had for lunch. Always speak with the manager to ensure your order can be prepared to your standards before ordering. Only you can determine what level of allergen safety suits your needs.
Thank you A&W!
I live that A&W has so many dairy free options! Thank you!
3 Comments
Hi
I checked the website and asked in store and whey powder is listed as an I ingredient in the fries. Just thought I would mention.
Actually, the last time I checked, the fries actually said they contained milk – maybe in the seasoning… 🙁
Thanks, Kerri. According to the A&W website, the fries are manufactured in a facility with dairy but don’t actually contain dairy. The ingredients are listed in the ingredient information linked to above.