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McDonald’s

Posted on May 16, 2006 by Alisa Fleming in Fast Food Restaurants with 20 Comments

McDonald's We inquired on fryer cross-contamination, and this is the response we received from McDonald’s USA, “Our restaurants make every effort to ensure that cross contamination does not occur. All products are kept separate and are only cooked in oil with like products. Potato, chicken and fish products are all fried separately. We hope this information has been helpful.”

No Dairy (Milk) Ingredients (use caution due to cross-contamination potential):

Burgers - Hamburger and Quarter Pounder®
Chicken - McChicken, Premium Crispy Chicken Classic Sandwich, Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich, Southern Style Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Spicy Chicken McBites, and Chicken Selects® Premium Breast Strips
Pork – McRib
Sauces – Tangy Barbeque, Sweet Chili, Honey Mustard, Sweet ‘N Sour, Chipotle Barbeque, and Hot Mustard
Salad Dressings – Newman’s Own® Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette
Breakfast – English Muffin, Sausage Patty, and Scrambled Eggs
Desserts – Apple Dippers (without the dip), Baked Hot Apple Pie, and McDonaldland® Cookies

Special Order (use caution due to cross-contamination potential):

Burgers (hold the cheese) – McDouble, Big Mac (the Big Mac Sauce is dairy-free, but it does contain egg), Angus Deluxe, Angus Bacon & Cheese, Angus Mushroom & Swiss, and Big Mac Snack Wrap
Chicken (hold the cheese) – Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich, Premium Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich, Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap®-Crispy, Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap®-Grilled, Honey Mustard Snack Wrap®-Crispy, and Honey Mustard Snack Wrap®-Grilled
Chicken (hold the sauce or request mayo instead of ranch) – Premium Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich and Premium Crispy Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich
Salads (hold the cheese & choose from a non-diary dressing (above)) – Premium Southwest Salad, Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken, Premium Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken, Premium Bacon Ranch Salad, Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken, and Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken
Breakfast (hold the cheese) – Egg McMuffin® and Plain Bagel

Restaurant Website: www.mcdonalds.com

Ingredient & Allergen Information: http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/ingredientslist.pdf

*The above information was supplied by the corresponding restaurant via their website, customer service, or other published nutritional information. Ingredients and menu offerings are constantly changing in the food service industry, and can be subject to interpretation. For this reason, Go Dairy Free does not guarantee nor take responsibility for the accuracy of this information. If severe allergies or intolerances are a concern, contact the restaurant directly before purchasing or consuming one of their products. Cross-contamination of potential food allergens should always be considered a possibility in a fast food restaurant.

Last Updated: October 31, 2012

About Alisa Fleming

Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Senior Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

View all posts by Alisa Fleming →

JeanaAugust 6, 2012 at 10:03 pmReply

I have a question….. on the website for McDonald’s they say that the sausage patty is dairy free, but it is not listed above as a breakfast food that is dairy free….. in my experience i tryed it in an egg & sausage mcmuffin hold the cheese (with a small black coffee) and had a reaction….so the next time all i ordered was a hamburger (have not had a reaction to the regular hamburger with extra onions and mustard) and a black coffee…. had a reaction. then one day i got just a coffee and had a reaction…..when i went back into the same location for lunch (my son had an all day state competition closest place was Mickey D’s) i asked if the creamer or anything else with dairy or dairy by-prouducts could have come in contact…. they said no there is no way.

here is my question….
has anyone had a reaction to the sausage patties or the coffee???

JeanaAugust 6, 2012 at 10:05 pmReply

Oh By the way here is the listed ingredients of the sausage patty
I am new to being dairy free so is there a by-prouduct i am missing or unaware of?

Sausage Patty

Pork, water, seasoning (salt, corn syrup solids, spices, dextrose, sugar, spice extractives), preservatives (BHA, citric acid and propyl gallate).
(copy & pasted from website)

Alisa FlemingAugust 7, 2012 at 2:25 pmReplyAuthor

Hi Jeana – Thank you for the update! The ingredient list you are looking at from McDonald’s is more recent than my last update (I put the last revision date at the bottom of each fast food listing). I’ve added the sausage patty which does appear to be made without dairy ingredients.

Keep in mind, cross-contamination in fast food restaurants is very likely. If you are sure you had a dairy reaction, it was likely due to cross-contamination with another dairy product. I’ve never seen a fast food chain where they could say there was “no way” it came in contact. I have to agree though that coffee seems unlikely.

StuartSeptember 29, 2012 at 1:31 amReply

Just in case anyone else is from the UK, avoid Chicken Products! all McD;s chicken in the UK is padded with Milk Protein.

JamsterDecember 14, 2012 at 2:56 pmReply

My friend found out that the ice cream is wheat and soy, no dairy.. her friend is able to eat it with no trouble..

Alisa FlemingDecember 14, 2012 at 3:00 pmReplyAuthor

I’m so sorry, but according to the company, the ice cream is most definitely dairy. Here are the ingredients from their site: Milk, sugar, cream, nonfat milk solids, corn syrup solids, mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, dextrose, sodium citrate, artificial vanilla flavor, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, disodium phosphate, cellulose gum, vitamin A palmitate. It isn’t a soy ice cream.

AshleyDecember 14, 2012 at 6:48 pmReply

What about the buns?

Alisa FlemingDecember 15, 2012 at 6:44 amReplyAuthor

Please see the post above for lists and links to more information.

MarkJanuary 24, 2013 at 11:20 amReply

Alisa,
do you know if McDonalds Mighty Wings contain dairy. I cannot find this information anywhere.

MichaelJanuary 28, 2013 at 2:52 pmReply

Hello Alisa i was wondering if you know by any chance if chicken nuggets and fries at Mcdonalds contain any type of dairy. I have looked everywhere and found websites that say they do, and say they do not. I am critical Lactose intolerant with only 6% enzymes and can be damaged if I eat any of these products. Please help! Thanks!

Alisa FlemingJanuary 29, 2013 at 12:59 pmReplyAuthor

Michael, that is probably because they are different in the U.S. and Canada, so some will say it is dairy-free, while others will not. See the listing above if you are looking for U.S. and the link to their website for current allergy details. If looking for Canada, that is a different listing here on our site.

TuscaderoJanuary 29, 2013 at 5:07 pmReply

When ordering egg mcmuffins please remember to specify no butter. Normally the English muffins are brushed with butter when they come out if the bun toaster. (Same with English muffins served with the Big Breakfast) You can hold the cheese all you want and still get exposed to dairy by accident.

Karolina PalmaFebruary 14, 2013 at 7:31 amReply

I am on antibiotics that state to stay clear of dairy products for 2 hours before and 2 hours after taking them. I love McDonald’s coffee with creamer, and i was wondering if the creamer was a dairy or non-dairy product? Please help, thanks!

Alisa FlemingFebruary 14, 2013 at 11:38 amReplyAuthor

“non-dairy” creamer typically contains a small amount of dairy protein (casein), unless specifically identified as dairy-free or vegan. See this page for more information: http://www.godairyfree.org/ask-alisa/ask-alisa-does-my-non-dairy-food-have-dairy-in-it

JennyFebruary 17, 2013 at 7:05 pmReply

Can you tell me if the potatoes in the mcskillet has cheese? I’ve been ordering them without cheese but one of the workers said they did. I couldn’t see why or where the cheese would be at?

Alisa FlemingFebruary 18, 2013 at 7:09 amReplyAuthor

See the link provided in this post to read the ingredients at McDonald’s. This one is for the U.S. Keep in mind that ingredients and menu items vary by country.

JenApril 1, 2013 at 3:06 pmReply

Yes, they do. We asked to have it without cheese, and upon inspection, found cheese. The employee informed us that its all pre-packaged so they can’t remove cheese. They can only refrain from adding more cheese.

MallorieMarch 4, 2013 at 6:45 amReply

Hi I am new to dairy free and have wondered in bread products if “Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate” is something to steer clear of?

Its listed in the McDonalds buns and many breads I have looked into buying but it only lists wheat as an allergen…

JenApril 1, 2013 at 3:03 pmReply

I just attempted to eat at McDonalds yesterday and asked about an allergen pamphlet. The manager brought me a 3 ring binder which clearly listed their french fries as having dairy. Also, every single one of their breakfast items contains dairy. It all comes pre-mixed so you can’t even ask for it to be cheese free and actually get it cheese free. We discovered this a few weeks ago while traveling. Best bet is just to steer clear of McDonalds.

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Ingredients, processes and products are subject to change by the manufacturer at any time. All products should be considered at risk for cross-contamination with milk and other allergens. Always contact the manufacturer prior to consumption. See Disclaimer

20 Comments

JeanaAugust 6, 2012 at 10:03 pmReply

I have a question….. on the website for McDonald’s they say that the sausage patty is dairy free, but it is not listed above as a breakfast food that is dairy free….. in my experience i tryed it in an egg & sausage mcmuffin hold the cheese (with a small black coffee) and had a reaction….so the next time all i ordered was a hamburger (have not had a reaction to the regular hamburger with extra onions and mustard) and a black coffee…. had a reaction. then one day i got just a coffee and had a reaction…..when i went back into the same location for lunch (my son had an all day state competition closest place was Mickey D’s) i asked if the creamer or anything else with dairy or dairy by-prouducts could have come in contact…. they said no there is no way.

here is my question….
has anyone had a reaction to the sausage patties or the coffee???
JeanaAugust 6, 2012 at 10:05 pmReply

Oh By the way here is the listed ingredients of the sausage patty
I am new to being dairy free so is there a by-prouduct i am missing or unaware of?

Sausage Patty

Pork, water, seasoning (salt, corn syrup solids, spices, dextrose, sugar, spice extractives), preservatives (BHA, citric acid and propyl gallate).
(copy & pasted from website)
- Alisa FlemingAugust 7, 2012 at 2:25 pmReplyAuthor
  
  Hi Jeana – Thank you for the update! The ingredient list you are looking at from McDonald’s is more recent than my last update (I put the last revision date at the bottom of each fast food listing). I’ve added the sausage patty which does appear to be made without dairy ingredients.
  
  Keep in mind, cross-contamination in fast food restaurants is very likely. If you are sure you had a dairy reaction, it was likely due to cross-contamination with another dairy product. I’ve never seen a fast food chain where they could say there was “no way” it came in contact. I have to agree though that coffee seems unlikely.
StuartSeptember 29, 2012 at 1:31 amReply

Just in case anyone else is from the UK, avoid Chicken Products! all McD;s chicken in the UK is padded with Milk Protein.
JamsterDecember 14, 2012 at 2:56 pmReply

My friend found out that the ice cream is wheat and soy, no dairy.. her friend is able to eat it with no trouble..
- Alisa FlemingDecember 14, 2012 at 3:00 pmReplyAuthor
  
  I’m so sorry, but according to the company, the ice cream is most definitely dairy. Here are the ingredients from their site: Milk, sugar, cream, nonfat milk solids, corn syrup solids, mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, dextrose, sodium citrate, artificial vanilla flavor, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, disodium phosphate, cellulose gum, vitamin A palmitate. It isn’t a soy ice cream.
AshleyDecember 14, 2012 at 6:48 pmReply

What about the buns?
- Alisa FlemingDecember 15, 2012 at 6:44 amReplyAuthor
  
  Please see the post above for lists and links to more information.
MarkJanuary 24, 2013 at 11:20 amReply

Alisa,
do you know if McDonalds Mighty Wings contain dairy. I cannot find this information anywhere.
MichaelJanuary 28, 2013 at 2:52 pmReply

Hello Alisa i was wondering if you know by any chance if chicken nuggets and fries at Mcdonalds contain any type of dairy. I have looked everywhere and found websites that say they do, and say they do not. I am critical Lactose intolerant with only 6% enzymes and can be damaged if I eat any of these products. Please help! Thanks!
- Alisa FlemingJanuary 29, 2013 at 12:59 pmReplyAuthor
  
  Michael, that is probably because they are different in the U.S. and Canada, so some will say it is dairy-free, while others will not. See the listing above if you are looking for U.S. and the link to their website for current allergy details. If looking for Canada, that is a different listing here on our site.
TuscaderoJanuary 29, 2013 at 5:07 pmReply

When ordering egg mcmuffins please remember to specify no butter. Normally the English muffins are brushed with butter when they come out if the bun toaster. (Same with English muffins served with the Big Breakfast) You can hold the cheese all you want and still get exposed to dairy by accident.
Karolina PalmaFebruary 14, 2013 at 7:31 amReply

I am on antibiotics that state to stay clear of dairy products for 2 hours before and 2 hours after taking them. I love McDonald’s coffee with creamer, and i was wondering if the creamer was a dairy or non-dairy product? Please help, thanks!
- Alisa FlemingFebruary 14, 2013 at 11:38 amReplyAuthor
  
  “non-dairy” creamer typically contains a small amount of dairy protein (casein), unless specifically identified as dairy-free or vegan. See this page for more information: http://www.godairyfree.org/ask-alisa/ask-alisa-does-my-non-dairy-food-have-dairy-in-it
JennyFebruary 17, 2013 at 7:05 pmReply

Can you tell me if the potatoes in the mcskillet has cheese? I’ve been ordering them without cheese but one of the workers said they did. I couldn’t see why or where the cheese would be at?
- Alisa FlemingFebruary 18, 2013 at 7:09 amReplyAuthor
  
  See the link provided in this post to read the ingredients at McDonald’s. This one is for the U.S. Keep in mind that ingredients and menu items vary by country.
- JenApril 1, 2013 at 3:06 pmReply
  
  Yes, they do. We asked to have it without cheese, and upon inspection, found cheese. The employee informed us that its all pre-packaged so they can’t remove cheese. They can only refrain from adding more cheese.
MallorieMarch 4, 2013 at 6:45 amReply

Hi I am new to dairy free and have wondered in bread products if “Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate” is something to steer clear of?

Its listed in the McDonalds buns and many breads I have looked into buying but it only lists wheat as an allergen…
- Alisa FlemingMarch 4, 2013 at 7:12 amReplyAuthor
  
  See these two posts to answer your questions Mallorie:
  http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-free-information/new-to-the-dairy-free-diet-start-here
  http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-free-grocery-shopping-guide/dairy-ingredient-list-2
JenApril 1, 2013 at 3:03 pmReply

I just attempted to eat at McDonalds yesterday and asked about an allergen pamphlet. The manager brought me a 3 ring binder which clearly listed their french fries as having dairy. Also, every single one of their breakfast items contains dairy. It all comes pre-mixed so you can’t even ask for it to be cheese free and actually get it cheese free. We discovered this a few weeks ago while traveling. Best bet is just to steer clear of McDonalds.