McAlister’s Deli is a Neighborly Chain toward Dairy-Free Guests

Updated in 2021! 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.

Dairy-Free Menu Guide for McAlister’s Deli with Allergen Notes

All of the “spuds” at McAlister’s Deli come with loads of dairy, including butter, cheese, and often dairy-rich sauces. For dairy-free needs, you will need to completely custom build your plain “spud” with the toppings and condiments listed below. On the contrary, most of their sandwiches can be made dairy-free by simply omitting the cheese.

Soups

• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Chicken and Dumpling Soup
• Fire Roasted Vegetable Soup
• Traditional Chili
• Veggie Chili

Dairy-Free Soup Garnishes: Applewood Smoked Bacon, Blue Corn Tortilla Chips, Crispy Onion, Green Onions, Jalapenos, Saltines

Serving Options: You can order the soup in a cup, bowl, or bread bowl – it’s dairy-free!

Salads

• Garden Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• Garden Salad with Harvest Chicken Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• Italian Chopped Salad (no cheese)
• McAlister’s Chef Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• Savannah Chopped Salad (no cheese)

Dairy-Free Salad Dressings: Chili Lime Vinaigrette, Fat-Free Chipotle Peach, Fat-Free Raspberry Pecan Vinaigrette, McAlister’s Honey Mustard Dressing, Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinaigrette, Sherry Shallot Dressing, Thousand Island

Sandwiches

• BLT & Avocado
• The Veggie
• Black Angus Club (no cheese)
• Garden Fresh Turkey Sandwich (no cheese)
• Grilled Chicken Club (no cheese)
• Harvest Chicken Salad (swap bread)
• Horseradish Roast Beef (no cheese)
• King Club (no cheese)
• McAlister’s Club or Wrap (no cheese)
• Memphian (no cheese)
• Orange Cranberry Club (no cheese)
• Reuben (no cheese)
• Smoky Turkey (no cheese)
• Sweet Chipotle Chicken (no cheese)
• The Italian (no cheese)
• The New Yorker (no cheese)
• The Rachel (no cheese)

Bread

• 9-Grain
• Baguette (6 inch)
• Bread Bowl
• Ciabatta
• Country White Bread
• Gluten-Free White Bread (select locations)
• Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread (select locations)
• Marbled Rye Bread
• Pretzel Roll
• Sliced Wheat
• Wheat Wrap

Other Allergens: At last check, the Croissants were the only bread that contained dairy at McAlister’s Deli. The Gluten-Free Bread contains eggs, but is free of other top allergens. All of their wheat-based, dairy-free breads are egg-free, nut-free, and peanut-free, but they contain soy (typically just soy oil).

Meats

• Applewood Smoked Bacon
• Black Angus Roast Beef
• Black Forest Ham
• Corned Beef
• Grilled Chicken Breast
• Harvest Chicken Salad
• Pastrami
• Salami
• Smoked Turkey

Other Allergens: The Grilled Chicken at McAlister’s Deli contains soy oil, and the Harvest Chicken Salad contains eggs, gluten, tree nuts, and soy. Otherwise the meats are made without top allergens.

Condiments

• A1 Steak Sauce
• Cholula Mayo
• Cranberry Compote
• Fat-Free Raspberry Pecan Vinaigrette
• Fat Free Chipotle Peach Sauce
• Herb Mayo
• Horseradish Dijon
• Mayo, Regular
• McAlister’s Honey Mustard
• Olive Oil
• Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Orange Cranberry Sauce
• Spicy Brown Mustard
• Thousand Island

Heads Up! The Au Jus and Beef Gravy at McAlister’s Deli do contain milk.

Other Toppings

• Avocado
• Black Olives
• Black Pepper
• Broccoli (for baked potatoes)
• Cilantro
• Crispy Onion
• Cucumbers
• Green Bell Peppers
• Green Onions
• Jalapenos
• Red Onions
• Roasted Onions & Mushrooms
• Roasted Tri-Color Peppers
• Romaine
• Salad Mix
• Sauerkraut
• Sliced Cucumbers
• Sliced Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Spring Mix

Heads Up! The Caramelized Onion, Jalapeno Chips, and Roasted Corn, Poblano, and Black Bean Relish contain milk.

Sides

• Applesauce
• Fruit
• McAlister’s Deli BBQ Kettle Chips
• McAlister’s Deli Sea Salt Kettle Chips
• Pickle Spear
• Potato Salad
• Sunchips Original Snacks
• Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Heads Up! Their Steamed Broccoli side is seasoned with butter, but they list broccoli as a dairy-free potato topper. Therefore, you might be able to order the broccoli without butter.

Desserts

• Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
• Sugar Cookie

This Post is for Informational Purposes Only

Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, and restaurants are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure that 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.

Where to Find

McAlister’s Deli has about 450 locations in 28 states, with a heavy concentration in the Southeast and Midwest, but with locations as far west as Arizona. See the website below for addresses, hours, and online ordering.

Website: www.mcalistersdeli.com

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