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

Updated April 2022! 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 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.

Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: All items listed below are made without egg, nuts, and peanut, unless otherwise noted. All of the sandwiches and salads as listed below, except the Harvest Chicken Salad and any items using Crispy Onions, can be ordered without gluten. They offer two types of gluten-free bread. Many items at McAlister’s Deli, including the breads, are listed as containing soy due to soy oil. Most of the sandwiches can be ordered For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.

Soups

• Chicken and Dumpling Soup (contains egg)
• Fire Roasted Vegetable Soup (contains egg)
• Traditional Chili
• Veggie Chili

Dairy-Free Soup Garnishes: Applewood Smoked Bacon, 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!

Heads Up! The Chicken Tortilla, Country Potato, and Tomato Bisque soups do contain dairy.

Salads

• Chef Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• Garden Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• Garden Salad with Harvest Chicken Salad (no cheese, no croutons) (contains egg, nuts)
• Grilled Chicken Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• McAlister’s Chef Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• Savannah Chopped Salad (no cheese) (contains nuts)
• Southwest Chicken & Avocado Salad (no cheese, no relish)
• Steak Salad (no cheese) (limited offer)

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

Sandwiches

• BLT & Avocado (contains egg)
• Garden Fresh Turkey Sandwich (no cheese)
• The Veggie (contains egg)
• Black Angus Club (no cheese) (contains egg)
• Grilled Chicken Club (no cheese) (contains egg)
• King Club (no cheese) (contains egg)
• McAlister’s Club or Wrap (no cheese) (contains egg)
• Orange Cranberry Club (no cheese) (contains egg)
• Harvest Chicken Salad (swap bread) (contains egg, nuts)
• Horseradish Roast Beef (no cheese) (contains egg)
• Memphian (no cheese) (contains egg)
• Rachel (no cheese) (contains egg)
• Reuben (no cheese) (contains egg)
• Steak (no cheese) (contains egg; limited offer)
• The Italian (no cheese)
• The New Yorker (no cheese)
• Jalapeno Turkey Crunch Sandwich (no cheese, sub dairy-free chips) (contains egg)
• Smoky Pepper Jack Turkey (no cheese) (contains egg)
• Sweet Chipotle Chicken (no cheese)

Heads Up! Most of these sandwiches can be made egg-free with no mayo.

Spuds

• Veggie Spud (no butter, sub dairy-free condiment for cheese sauce)

Build-Your-Own Spud: All of the other baked potatoes at McAlister’s Deli come with loads of dairy, including butter, cheese, and often dairy-rich sauces. For dairy-free needs, you can build your own plain “spud” without butter or sour cream, but with the toppings and condiments listed below.

Kids Menu

• Uncrustable Sandwich (contains peanut)
• Kids Garden Salad (no cheese, no croutons)

Heads Up! The pizza still contains milk, even if ordered without cheese.

Sides

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

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 (contains egg, nuts)
• Sugar Cookie (contains egg)

Bread

• 9-Grain
• Baguette (6 inch)
• Bread Bowl
• Ciabatta
• Country White Bread
• Gluten-Free White Bread (select locations) (contains egg)
• Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread (select locations) (contains egg)
• 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.

Meats

• Applewood Smoked Bacon
• Black Angus Roast Beef
• Black Forest Ham
• Corned Beef
• Grilled Chicken Breast
• Harvest Chicken Salad (contains egg, nuts)
• Pastrami
• Salami
• Smoked Turkey
• Steak (limited offer)

Condiments

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

Heads Up! In addition to all Ranch and Caesar dressings and sauces, 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
• Cranberry Compote
• Crispy Onion
• Cucumbers
• Green Bell Peppers
• Green Onions
• Honey Roasted Almonds
• Jalapenos
• Roasted Onions & Mushrooms
• Roasted Tri-Color Peppers
• Romaine
• Salad Mix
• Sauerkraut
• Sliced Cucumbers
• Sliced Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Spring Mix

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

McAlister’s Deli Vegan Menu Guide

• Veggie Chili in Bowl, Cup, or Bread Bowl
• Garden Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• Kids Garden Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• The Veggie Sandwich (sub vegan bread, sub vegan condiment)
• Uncrustable Sandwich
• Veggie Spud (no butter, sub vegan condiment for cheese sauce)
• Build-Your-Own Vegan Salad, Sandwich or Spud with Components Below
• Applesauce
• Fruit
• Pickle Spear
• Tomato and Cucumber Salad
• McAlister’s Deli Sea Salt Kettle Chips
• Sunchips Original Snacks

Vegan Breads

• Baguette (6 inch)
• Bread Bowl
• Ciabatta
• Country White Bread
• Marbled Rye Bread
• Sliced Wheat
• Wheat Wrap

Vegan Condiments & Dressings

• A1 Steak Sauce
• Chili Lime Vinaigrette
• Fat-Free Chipotle Peach Dressing / Sauce
• Fat-Free Raspberry Pecan Vinaigrette
• Olive Oil
• Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Orange Cranberry Sauce
• Spicy Brown Mustard

Other Vegan Toppings

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

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

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

Average Reader Review

Rate Your Dairy-Free Experience with this Restaurant

What Others Are Saying ...

For More Dairy-Free Guidance, Get Go Dairy Free!