Denny’s Hits a Grand Slam for Dairy-Free Breakfast and Lunch

Updated January 2023! Nearly every sizable town in the U.S. has at least one Denny’s, which is why we created this very detailed dairy-free menu guide. Believe it or not, this popular American diner chain has quite a few options for dairy-free diners. Sure, you will have to pass on the piles of pancakes and waffles, but their savory selection holds many surprises.

Denny’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Vegan & Custom Order 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 U.S. locations. Options may vary in other countries.

Butter Note: Denny’s uses oil or dairy-free liquid margarine in most of their cooking, rather than dairy butter. But dairy butter is often used as a garnish, and some locations might opt to use dairy butter in preparation. Always verify that no dairy butter is used on your order.

Fryer & Grill Note: Denny’s uses a vegetable oil with a blend of soybean, canola, and cottonseed oil in their fryers. They do use shared fryers for cooking items with and without milk. They also season their grills with vegetable oil from their fryers. If concerned about potential cross-contamination in the oil, speak with a manager to find out if they can cook your meal in a separate pan.

Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: In addition to the eggs themselves, the following items on the lists below contain egg: country fried steak, mayonnaise, diner Q sauce, honey mustard dressing, thousand island dressing, and lemon meringue pie. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.

Classic Breakfasts

• Classic Benny Breakfast (no hollandaise sauce)
• Country Fried Steak & Eggs (no gravy, see How to Order below) (steak is cooked in shared fryer)
• Santa Fe Bowl (no cheese)
• Southwestern Benny Breakfast (no hollandaise sauce)
• T-Bone Steak & Eggs (see How to Order below)

How to Order: Choose the wheat-based English Muffin for your bread. Verify no butter is used on your order for cooking, topping, or spreading (their liquid margarine is dairy-free, but not the whipped butter blend). Choose dairy-free potatoes using the options below. Specify dairy-free eggs on ordering.

Heads Up! You might be able to custom order a breakfast sandwich without dairy at the restaurant. Some locations will prepare the scrambled eggs without dairy, and use a dairy-free bread option (see list below) with no butter on request. All Pancakes, Crepes, and French Toast are made with milk and cannot be custom ordered without dairy.

Slams

• Build Your Own Grand Slam (see How to Order below)
• All-American Slam (no cheese, see How to Order below)
• Fit Slam (see How to Order below)
• 55+ Starter (see How to Order below)

How to Order: Choose the wheat-based English Muffin for your bread. Verify no butter is used on your order for cooking, topping, or spreading (their liquid margarine is dairy-free, but not the whipped butter blend). Choose dairy-free potatoes using the options below. Specify dairy-free eggs on ordering.

Omelettes

• Build Your Own Omelette (no cheese, see menu components below)
• Loaded Veggie Omelette (no cheese)
• Mile High Denver Omelette (no cheese)
• Philly Omelette (no cheese)
• Two Moons Over My Hammy Omelette (no cheese)
• Ultimate Omelette (no cheese)
• 55+ Omelette (no cheese)

Heads Up! Omelettes are made to order, and we’ve been told the eggs are made without milk. But verify that your location does not add any dairy, and that the omelettes are not cooked in dairy butter.

Cereal

• Grits (no butter blend, no milk; prepared with water)
• Oatmeal (no milk; prepared with water)

Starters

• Boneless Chicken Wings, Plain or BBQ (with dairy-free dip) (cooked in shared fryer)
• Premium Chicken Tenders (with dairy-free dip) (cooked in shared fryer)

Salads

• Cobb Salad (no cheese)

Dairy-Free Salad Dressings: Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette, French Dressing, Honey Mustard, Fat-Free Italian, Thousand Island

Dairy-Free Protein Additions: Grilled Chicken, Chicken Tenders (cooked in shared fryer), Prime Rib

Heads Up! The Croutons at Denny’s do contain dairy. So you can order the House Salad without cheese and without croutons, but it will be an expensive plate of iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

Soups

At last check, all Denny’s soups contained milk, including the Chicken Noodle, Chili, and Vegetable Beef.

Burgers

• Build Your Own Burger with Beef Patty, Grilled Chicken, or vegan Beyond Meat Patty (no cheese; use Component lists below)
• Bacon Avocado Burger (no cheese)
• Double Burger (no cheese)
• Flamin’ 5-Pepper Burger (no cheese)
• Quarter Pound Burger (no cheese)
• Slamburger (no cheese)

Heads Up! Make sure the buns are not buttered at your local Denny’s and no butter (only dairy-free liquid margarine or oil), is used in cooking.

Handhelds / Sandwiches

• Cali Club Sandwich (no cheese)
• Diner Classic Patty [no]Melt (no cheese)
• The Super Bird (no cheese, sub dairy-free bread)

Heads Up! Make sure the bread is not buttered at your local Denny’s. And see the bread list below to find out which breads have a “may contain” warning for potential cross-contamination with milk. See our may contain post to better understand these types of labels.

Dinners

• Country-Fried Steak (no gravy; order dairy-free sides and bread) (cooked in shared fryer)
• Crazy Spicy Bowl (no cheese)
• Premium Chicken Tenders (order dairy-free sides, sauce, and bread) (cooked in shared fryer)
• Sirloin Steak (order dairy-free sides and bread)
• T-Bone Steak (order dairy-free sides and bread)
• 55+ Country-Fried Steak (no gravy; order dairy-free sides and bread) (cooked in shared fryer)

Heads Up! As noted below, the Dinner Rolls served with Denny’s Dinner Classics contain dairy. Ask to swap a different dairy-free bread option. Also, verify no butter is added to your order during or after cooking.

Kids Menu

• Jr. Burger (no cheese)
• Jr. Grand Slam (see custom options below)
• Jr. Premium Chicken Tenders with BBQ Sauce or Honey Mustard (cooked in shared fryer)

Sides

• Bacon
• Baked Potato (no toppings)
• Egg, Cooked to Order
• English Muffin
• Fresh Vegetable Medley
• Garden Side Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• Grilled Ham Slice
• Hash Browns
• Herb Glazed Corn
• Red-Skinned Potatoes (cooked in shared fryer)
• Sausage
• Seasonal Fruit
• Seasoned Fries (cooked in shared fryer)
• Wavy-Cut Fries (cooked in shared fryer)
• Whole Grain Rice Blend

Heads Up! The items listed above are typically made without dairy butter, but make sure none is added or used for cooking your order at your location. The Red-Skinned Mashed Potatoes and Onion Rings at Denny’s do contain milk. You will need to ask about dairy-free bread options (listed below) if you want to order Toast. Their primary choices do contain milk.

Proteins

• Bacon Strips
• Beef Patty
• Beyond Burger Patty
• Chicken Tenders (cooked in Shared Fryer)
• Chicken Wings, Bone-in (no sauce) (cooked in shared fryer)
• Chicken Wings, Boneless (no sauce) (cooked in shared fryer)
• Chorizo
• Country Fried Steak (cooked in shared fryer)
• Deli Turkey
• Eggs (Boiled, Whites, Whole)
• Grilled Chicken Breast
• Ham (Shaved and Sliced)
• Nacho Meat
• Prime Rib
• Sausage Crumbles
• Sausage Links
• Sirloin
• T-Bone
• Turkey Bacon

Heads Up! Their Fried Chicken Breast, Meatballs (where available), Pot Roast, Battered Fish Fillets, and Salmon do contain milk.

Breads

• Bagel
• Brioche Bun
• Corn Tortilla Chips (cross-contamination warning for milk)
• English Muffins
• Flour Tortilla
• Hoagie Roll
• Potato Bread
• Rye Bread (cross-contamination warning for milk)
• 7-Grain Bread (cross-contamination warning for milk)
• Split Top Bun (also Kids size)

Heads Up! Their Gluten-Free English Muffins, Dinner Rolls, Biscuits, White Bread, Garlic Toast, Crepes, and Pancakes (all varieties) contain dairy. The French Toast / Texas Toast bread is dairy-free, but the batter it’s soaked in contains milk. They previously offered wheat and sourdough breads that contained milk, but they appear to be off menu. Be sure to ask if they are on your local menu.

Vegetables Toppings & Additions

• Caramelized Onions
• Fire-Roasted Bell Peppers & Onions
• Mushrooms
• Potato Stix
• Sliced Pickles
• Sliced Jalapeños

Heads Up! The Pot Roast Vegetables at Denny’s do contain milk.

Condiments

• Au Jus
• BBQ Sauce
• Chocolate Syrup
• Diner Q Sauce
• Five Pepper Sauce
• Green Hot Pepper Sauce
• Heinz 57
• Honey
• Jams & Jellies
• Ketchup
• Liquid Margarine
• Malt Vinegar
• Mayonnaise
• Mustard
• Pancake Syrups
• Red Hot Pepper Sauce
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Salsa
• Savory Herb Sauce
• Sweet Grilling Spread
• Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise
• Tartar Sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce

Heads Up! All of the Gravies at Denny’s do contain milk. Their Buffalo Sauce, Bourbon Sauce, Nashville Hot Sauce, Garlic & Herb Spread, Tomato Sauce, and Whipped Butter Blend also contain milk. Their Bourbon Sauce used to be dairy-free, but it looks like their ingredients / source has changed.

Seasonings: They use two primary seasonings in cooking, Denny’s Signature and Sea Salt & Pepper. Both are listed as dairy-free.

Beverages

Aside from the obvious dairy and dairy-free options, all Denny’s Fruit Smoothies contain milk. And they do not offer dairy-free milk beverages or vegan creamers for their coffee and tea, yet. But, the Vanilla Flavor Shot for coffee is made without milk.

Dessert

• Lemon Meringue Pie (where available)

Heads Up! Denny’s apple pie used to be dairy-free, but now it contains milk.

Vegan Denny’s Menu Guide

If concerned about honey, sugar sources, or other additive ingredient sources in the breads and condiments, be sure to inquire at your location.

Vegan Mains

• Beyond Burger (no cheese)
• Crazy Spicy Bowl (no cheese, no chorizo, no chicken)
• Santa Fe Bowl (no chorizo, no eggs, no cheese)
• Grits (no butter blend, no milk; prepared with water)
• Oatmeal (no milk; prepared with water)
• House Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• Cobb Salad (no cheese, no egg, no bacon))
• Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette
• French Dressing
• Fat-Free Italian

Vegan Sides

• Baked Potato (no toppings)
• Corn Tortilla ChipsEnglish Muffin
• Garden Side Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
• Hash Browns
• Herb Glazed Corn
• Red-Skinned Potatoes
• Seasonal Fruit
• Seasoned Fries
• Wavy-Cut Fries
• Whole Grain Rice Blend

Vegan Components

• Beyond Burger Patty
• Bagel
• Brioche Bun
• Corn Tortilla Chips
• English Muffin
• Flour Tortilla
• Hoagie Roll
• Potato Bread
• Rye Bread
• 7-Grain Bread
• Split Top Bun (also Kids size)
• Caramelized Onions
• Fire-Roasted Bell Peppers & Onions
• Mushrooms
• Potato Stix
• Sliced Jalapeños
• BBQ Sauce
• Chocolate Syrup
• Five Pepper Sauce
• Green Hot Pepper Sauce
• Heinz 57
• Jams & Jellies
• Ketchup
• Liquid Margarine
• Mustard
• Pancake Syrups
• Red Hot Pepper Sauce
• Salsa
• Sweet Grilling Spread

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 Denny’s

Denny’s has about 1700 locations worldwide, but the vast majority of them are in the U.S. The information above is for the U.S., and might vary in other countries. For addresses and hours, see the website below.

Website: www.dennys.com

Average Reader Review

Rate Your Dairy-Free Experience with this Restaurant

What Others Are Saying ...

Very impressed

Rated 5 out of 5

March 12, 2023

5 stars for Denny’s vegan & dairy/egg free guide. Not just lists but how to order & what exactly has dairy/egg/meat & what does not. Warnings about possible cross contamination “Heads Up” & a reminder to ask to be certain its safe for you.

Jo Quinn

Club

Rated 5 out of 5

May 17, 2021

It was easy to order a dairy free sandwich

Samantha