Author: Alisa Fleming

Updated February 2024! Maggiano’s is happy to boast they are repeatedly ranked as a top allergy-friendly restaurant chain in the U.S. by AllergyEats. This rather upscale Italian restaurant takes special diet needs seriously and their staff is quite accommodating. When an allergy is mentioned, it isn’t uncommon for the chef to come to your table to discuss the issue personally. And since everything is made from scratch, they can usually make modifications for special requests. Nevertheless, they do have a handful of dairy-free options right on the main menu, which we have outlined in our dairy-free allergen guide below. Maggiano’s…

Updated February 2024! The Honey Baked Ham Company is legendary for their takeaway holiday feasts, but they also serve sandwiches, salads, and easy meals year round. You can order in store, online for pick up, or get some foods delivered from their modern day “catalog.” Fortunately for us, Honey Baked Ham has many dairy-free options, and are quite transparent about allergens and ingredients. We’ve combed though it all, and put together this detailed dairy-free guide. Honey Baked Ham Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen & Vegan Notes This guide to Honey Baked Ham includes dairy-free items and custom order options for their…

Updated February 2024! A few years ago, Pizza Pizza teamed up with a popular vegan company to launch dairy-free cheese at all of their locations. But they didn’t stop there. They’ve since added two types of plant-based meats, all of their crusts are now dairy-free (and many are gluten-free and/or vegan), and they have numerous non-dairy sauce and topping options. We were also surprised to find out how many appetizers we can enjoy at this popular Canadian chain. This dairy-free menu includes wings and bites (made with chicken raised without antibiotics), fries and onion rings (sans trans fats), and more.…

Updated February 2024! Papa Murphy’s offers take-and-bake pizzas in the U.S. and Canada. And they are the only chain pizzeria we know of that has a full Dairy-Free Cheese Menu, complete with both vegan and meaty options! That said, some of their “dairy-free cheese” menu items need modifications for dairy-free pizza needs. But don’t worry, we have the full quick guide below, along with lists for custom ordering your perfect pizza! Papa Murphy’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Vegan Options This menu guide includes dairy-free options first, followed by build-your-own pizza components. Be aware of special order requirements in parentheses ()…

Updated February 2024! Harvey’s is one of the largest fast food restaurant chains in Canada, with locations in every province. They’re well known for grilled burgers and a good selection of toppings. On our last update, Harvey’s allergen guide was a little piece of chaos with some errors. It looks like they have fixed it with a cleaner menu guide on their website. But be warned that there is still an old allergen guide floating around online that isn’t very accurate. And always double check before ordering – you can’t be too careful! Harvey’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes…

Updated April 2024! Philz Coffee was originally recommended to me by my good friend Hannah. She lived in the Bay Area, where this coffeehouse started, and raved about their Mint Mojito Iced Coffee. Hannah has an amazing ability to find special vegan-friendly spots, so I wasn’t surprised to see more Philz Coffee shops pop up. They now have locations throughout California, and a smattering of other big U.S. cities, like Chicago. Each store has a great range of dairy-free beverages and food, all covered in this guide. Philz Coffee Overflows with Dairy-Free Drink Options at No Extra Charge Most Philz…

Updated February 2024! White Castle was America’s first fast-food hamburger chain, and they now have locations dotted all over the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. I bet you thought it was McDonald’s, but White Castle beat them by 27 years. They opened their first restaurant location in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921. And nearly 100 years later, they beat the gold arches to yet another hamburger chain first: dairy-free cheese on the menu. White Castle Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options In early 2020, White Castle launched dairy-free Good Planet cheddar at its New Jersey and New York City restaurants. Unfortunately, due…

Updated February 2024! MOD Pizza was one of the first build-your-own pizza or salad chains to take off, and they’ve always been quite friendly to allergic diners. They offer dairy-free cheese, that’s stored separately at the locations we’ve seen, and the staff is trained to follow allergen protocols with special diet orders. And the options are expansive. As you can see in the dairy-free menu below, there are crust, sauce, and topping options for all. MOD Pizza Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Vegan & Allergen Options This quick-serve pizzeria has a build-your-own model. They offer some “classic” pizza and salad suggestions,…

Updated February 2024! Swiss Chalet is a casual alpine-style restaurant chain with locations dotted all over Canada. It is affiliated with the Canadian fast food chain Harvey’s, but their restaurants have a cozier family-style appeal for eating in, if desired. They also offer takeout and delivery. And as you can see below, their menu is loaded with quite a few naturally dairy-free options. They were one of the first to introduce an allergen guide, over thirty years ago, and are still well-loved for their dairy-free menu items, allergy-friendly staff, and reasonably-priced menu. Dairy-Free Menu Guide to Swiss Chalet Be aware…

Updated February 2024! For a fleeting few months, the biggest bagel chain in the U.S. offered dairy-free cream cheese. First, Einstein Bros quietly and briefly added Kite Hill cream cheese to their menu in select areas. Then, they officially launched Daiya cream cheeze style spread as a limited time schmear option. Einstein Bros hasn’t closed the door on dairy alternatives, but the vegan cream cheese wasn’t popular enough at the time to make it permanent. So for now, the spreads listed below in our dairy-free menu guide (with vegan options and allergen menu notes) will have to do! Einstein Bros Dairy-Free…

Updated February 2024! El Pollo Loco, Inc. is a fast food chain specializing in Mexican-style grilled chicken. But they offer other options, too.  They do not have an allergen chart, but their staff has been very helpful with our inquiries. They helped us to unearth an entire menu of dairy-free options, and even some vegan choices, too. El Pollo Loco Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options This menu guide includes dairy-free menu options first, followed by extras and sauces to help with custom orders. Be aware of special order requirements in parentheses () next to the menu…

Updated February 2024! You’ll have to skip the shake half of this diner-style, fast-food restaurant hybrid. But the savory menu at Steak ‘n Shake holds quite a few dairy-free surprises, especially if you custom order. Our dairy-free guide includes various burgers, sides, and even breakfast options, along with a smattering of vegan eats. Meal photo by @tastingsanantonio via Steak ‘n Shake Facebook Steak ‘n Shake Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options Butter Note: The Liquid Margarine (used for grilling the meat and buns), Frying Oil, and Cooking Spray are all dairy-free, but do contain soy. They do…

Updated February 2024! Asian food might seem obvious for dairy-free diners, but P.F. Chang’s is a different beast. They actually use milk in a lot of surprising places. However, they are also known for their allergy-friendly practices. They have staff trained in allergen protocols, they serve gluten-fee orders on separate plates, and they can quickly offer guidance on 15 different food allergens. But to help get you started, we’ve gathered the dairy-free menu items at P.F. Chang’s below, and included the gluten-free options, allergen notes, and a separate vegan menu. P.F. Chang’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options…

Updated February 2024! Many years ago, a reader named Amy let us know about McAlister’s Deli. This American fast casual chain is run by the same company that owns Schlotzky’s, but it’s far more friendly to dairy-free customers. The staff at McAlister’s Deli will build a sandwich, toss a salad, custom top a baked potato, put a soup in a bread bowl, and even bake a cookie (or two!) for dairy-free orders. You can see all of the potential options below in this dairy-free menu guide. McAlister’s Deli Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen & Vegan Notes This menu guide includes…

Get your glass of dairy-free milk ready! These perfectly balanced dairy-free egg-free brownie cookies just beg to be chased by a cool creamy beverage. They’re densely cocoa and littered with dairy-free chocolate chips. We like them with dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips, but dark chocolate chips are also delicious. Photos by Nicole Carpenter. She originally reviewed Sweet Utopia for us and made this recipe back when it was released! Dairy-Free Egg-Free Brownie Cookies with a Double Dose of Chocolate This cookie recipe is adapted ever-so-slightly from the vegan Fudgy Chip Cookies in Sweet Utopia by Sharon Valencik. We originally shared these…

Updated April 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…

Updated February 2024! When we first posted about Krispy Kreme, over a decade ago, we had very little to share. But slowly this donut chain is coming on board with the rising demand from dairy-free consumers. Some of you will still be disappointed in the menu guide below, while some of you will be surprised and excited – especially in the United Kingdom. But Krispy Kreme is making progress for us in the United States, too. I’ve outlined the current status of their dairy-free and vegan options in both countries via the menu guide below. Dairy-Free Krispy Kreme Menu Guide…

Last Update in March 2024! When it comes to dairy-free ice cream and other vegan eats, Cleveland does rock. But so do Columbus, Cincinnati, and various other Ohio cities. That’s why we’ve been able to create this ever-growing guide to restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and ice cream shops in Ohio that are friendly to dairy-free diners. It’s a collection based on research and reader recommendations (send yours!), that’s divided into restaurants & shops by city (first) and major chains found throughout the state (second). And we’ve started a section for specialty dairy-free foods produced in this state. We Update Continuously! You…

Updated February 2024! Who doesn’t like noodles? And thanks to Noodles & Company, just about anyone can enjoy them. This casual, pasta-centric restaurant chain offers a customizable menu for all types of dietary needs (top allergens, gluten-free, paleo, keto, vegetarian, etc), and isn’t shy about sharing ingredients. Below is a dairy-free menu guide to help simplify the ordering process at Noodles & Company. Noodles & Company Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options You can mix and match many of the noodles, toppings, and sauces and Noodles & Company to make your perfect bowl. For some swaps, you will…

Updated February 2024! If you’re craving a good old-fashioned burger, then Freddy’s could be your spot. It’s a chain that began in the Midwest and serves typical American fast casual fare. The Frozen Custard is out for dairy-free diners, but Freddy’s does make many Steakburgers, Sandwiches, and Sides without milk. We’ve compiled the options, with notes, into this milk-free quick guide. Dairy-Free Menu Guide for Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers Freddy’s Steakburgers are made with 100% premium beef and hand-crafted when you order. Their patties have thin, crispy edges and a thicker middle. This menu guide includes dairy-free menu options first,…