Updated January 2023! Wendy’s is one of the largest burger chains in North America. Which is why it’s surprising they are such a hot mess with their allergen information. But for you, we take the time to decipher, organize, and update their data regularly. In the guide below, you’ll find a myriad of options and clear warnings for dairy-free customers. Not to mention, we’ve go the details on new menu items and ingredient changes.
Wendy’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options
In trying to be overly cautious, Wendy’s tends to mislead and confuse consumers. They label some items that don’t contain milk as containing milk due to potential cross-contamination on the grill. But then other items made on those same grills just have cross-contamination warnings or have no warning at all. We’ve done our best to better organize their information. The specifics listed are from the United States allergen details, and might be slightly different in Canada and other countries.
Fryer Note: Most Wendy’s locations use a shared fryer for all fried foods. The Crispy Onions no longer contain milk, but they do have a couple other fried menu items that do contain milk. If concerned about potential cross-contamination, ask if any milk-containing foods have been cooked in the fryer before ordering. Wendy’s uses vegetable oil (soybean, canola, and/or cottonseed oils) for their fryer.
Butter Note: Wendy’s does not have a standard practice of buttering buns or using butter on the grill. But as noted, franchise owners and managers can take liberties. Always make sure no butter or other milk ingredients will be used to prepare your order.
Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: All items listed below are also made without peanuts and tree nuts. They can also be ordered without egg, unless otherwise noted, as long as you omit any condiments containing egg (detailed in the condiment listing). Some items are listed by Wendy’s as not containing soy, but most of their menu items contain refined soybean oil. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.
Burgers
- Baconator (no cheese)
- Bacon Double Stack (no cheese)
- Big Bacon Classic – Single, Double, and Triple (no cheese)
- Bourbon Bacon Burger (no cheese)
- Dave’s Single, Double, and Triple (no cheese)
- Double Stack (no cheese)
- Jr. Bacon Burger (no cheese)
- Jr. Deluxe Burger (no cheese)
- Jr. Hamburger
- Kids Hamburger
- Pretzel Bacon Pub Burger (no cheese, no cheese sauce)
- Son of Baconator (no cheese)
Heads Up! As with most fast food burger restaurants, the burger patties at Wendy’s are cooked on a shared grill, and may come in contact with milk-containing items (like cheese on cheeseburgers). All buns are toasted in a common toaster, and they do have breads that contain milk (see list below).
Chicken
- Crispy Chicken Nuggets
- Classic Chicken Sandwich
- Crispy Chicken Sandwich
- Crispy Chicken BLT Sandwich (no cheese)
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Pretzel Bacon Pub Chicken Sandwich (no cheese)
- Pretzel Bacon Pub Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no cheese)
- Pretzel Bacon Pub Spicy Chicken Sandwich (no cheese)
- Spicy Chicken Nuggets
- Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Heads Up! All of the fried chicken filets are cooked in a shared fryer. See the Fryer Note above. The Grilled Chicken might be cooked on the grill or sliced on a cutting board where a milk-containing item is present. All buns are toasted in a common toaster, and they do have breads that contain milk (see list below).
Breakfast
- Breakfast Baconator (no cheese, no cheese sauce)
- Classic Bacon & Egg Sandwich (no cheese, sub premium bun)
- Classic Sausage & Egg Sandwich (no cheese, sub premium bun)
Heads Up! Wendy’s uses a non-dairy pan spray to cook their eggs. As noted above, the patties are cooked on a grill where items containing milk are cooked. Your location might let you custom order the Breakfast Chicken Bacon Sandwich on a premium bun with no maple butter. The breakfast chicken filet is made without milk, but is cooked in a shared fryer. See the Fryer Note above. The Homestyle French Toast Sticks do contain milk.
Salads
- Apple Pecan Salad (no blue cheese, no roasted pecans)
Salad Dressings: Champagne Vinaigrette, Pomegranate Vinaigrette.
Heads Up! The other base Salad Blends at Wendy’s contain cheese, and cannot be ordered dairy-free. Their Candied and Roasted Nuts also contain milk. The Grilled Chicken on their salads might be cooked on the grill or sliced on a cutting board where a milk-containing item is present.
Kids’ Menu
- Kids’ Nuggets Meal with dairy-free drink and sauce
- Kids’ Spicy Nuggets Meal with dairy-free drink and sauce
- Kids’ Hamburger Meal with dairy-free drink
Sides
- French Fries (old and new recipe)
- Plain Baked Potato
- Seasoned Potatoes (breakfast menu)
- Apple Bites
Chili: According to Wendy’s representatives, their Chili does NOT contain milk in the ingredients. They label it as “contains milk” due to the potential cross-contamination of the burger patties on the grill. Cheese is also used on the grill, and the patties are chopped and added to the chili. There have been reports of some locations putting unused cheeseburgers in the chili, but this isn’t corporate practice. Make sure you inquire if you would like to order the chili.
New Fry Recipe: Wendy’s new “Hot & Crispy” French Fries have a slightly different cut, a better frying technique (according to the company), and a “whisper” of coating. Based on the box ingredients we viewed, the updated coating has just two additional ingredients: xanthan gum and dextrose.
Heads Up! The French Fries and Seasoned Potatoes are cooked in a shared fryer which might be used to cook items that contain milk. See Fryer Note above.
Dipping Sauces
- BBQ
- Honey Mustard (contains egg)
- Sweet & Sour
Heads Up! The Ranch dipping sauces at Wendy’s do contain milk.
Breads
- Garlic Knot Bun
- Premium Bun
- Pretzel Bun
- Sandwich Bun
Heads Up! All breads are toasted in a common toaster at Wendy’s, and their croissants, breakfast rolls, and biscuits all contain milk. Untoasted buns are available on request, but they still use common cutting boards.
Sandwich, Salad, French Fry, and Potato Toppings
- Applewood Smoked Bacon
- Avocado
- Chives
- Crinkle Cut Pickles
- Crispy Onions
- Lettuce
- Sweet Onion
- Taco Chips
- Tomato
Heads Up! Their Garlic Sauce contains milk. See Side section above for Chili information.
Condiments
- Bourbon Bacon Sauce
- Smoky Honey Mustard (contains egg)
- Ketchup (contains egg – see below)
- Marinara Sauce
- Mayonnaise (contains egg)
- Mustard
- Signature Salsa
Heads Up! Wendy’s lists their ketchup as “contains egg” because of possible cross contamination with mayonnaise in t he prep area. You can ask them to hold the ketchup and give you ketchup packets instead.
Wendy’s Vegan Menu Guide
- Apple Pecan Salad (no chicken, no cheese, no pecans, request added toppings from list below)
- French Fries (old and new recipe)
- Plain Baked Potato
- Seasoned Potatoes (breakfast menu)
- Apple Bites
Vegan Sauces & Dressings
- BBQ Dipping Sauce
- Champagne Vinaigrette
- Ketchup (see egg note in post above)
- Marinara Sauce
- Mustard
- Pomegranate Vinaigrette
- Signature Salsa
- Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce
Vegan Breads & Buns
- Garlic Knot Bun
- Premium Bun
- Pretzel Bun
- Sandwich Bun
Vegan Toppings
- Avocado
- Chives
- Crinkle Cut Pickles
- Crispy Onions
- Lettuce
- Sweet Onion
- Taco Chips
- Tomato
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 Wendy’s
They have over 6700 locations worldwide, with the majority in the United States. The list above covers the U.S. Some items and ingredients might vary in other countries. See their website below for addresses, hours, and ordering.
Website: www.wendys.com
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What Others Are Saying ...
Warning!
The new Italian sandwich thing is made with a mozzarella patty. This caused me to have a reaction to every fried food available right now
Response from Go Dairy Free
As we’ve noted for a couple of years, they have been frying foods in the fryer that contain milk. Please make sure to read the fryer note! I hope you are doing well.
French fries delicious but must be cross contaminated with dairy.
It’s hit or miss with dairy cross contamination.
Response from Go Dairy Free
Yes, as noted above, they are cooked in shared fryers. The level of potential cross-contamination can vary.
Thank You
Thank you for posting this. Wendy’s is very unclear and confusing on the website. I am so sad because they were the only place I could trust due to my severe dairy and egg allergies but now it seems too risky.
Love your articles
I’m so grateful to have a place I can rely on to find all my dairy free options
MILK/DAIRY IS IN THE CHILI!!!
I have ordered the chili for over 5 yrs for my lil girl whom is deathly allergic to anything with milk in it. Never did we have a problem until recently.I had to call 911 and she was rushed to lebonuer children’s hospital because apparently they just started putting cheese burgers in the chili. She had an asthma attack as she was having her allergic reaction which almost killed her.This was a tramatic experience and I think that people who work w food should take allergies to foods wayyy more seriously! This happened in Southaven, MS. I wish that the chili was made with no dairy because it was her favorite.these children have slim Pickens when they have a milk allergy so it’s exciting when us parents find them a food without dairy in a fast food restaurant .
Response from Go Dairy Free
That is horrible. I hope that your daughter is doing well. And I agree – it is a terrible practice they’ve changed to! Not all locations put cheeseburgers in – it isn’t a corporate practice. But there have been reports of this happening at some locations. And some cheese can get in from the grill.
Plain baked potato
My daughter got me a plain baked potato. Not sure if she said dairy-free. Received buttery spread & sour cream. Sour cream shows milk. Spread ingredients too small to read.
Response from Go Dairy Free
It sounds like they gave you the sour cream potato. The Plain Baked Potato is literally just a potato -> https://order.wendys.com/product/30469/plain-baked-potato?referrer=category%2F103%2Ffries-sides – she shouldn’t have had to say dairy-free. Their Buttery Spread does contain milk.
It is helpful if you let the manager at the location know of the error, so they pay better attention to orders.
For real?
So Wendy’s chicken nuggets has no milk in its batter? That’s a true blessing if it’s true, Wendy’s will be my first choice in fast food from now if confirmed . Please follow up.
Response from Go Dairy Free
Please see the post above, and last update date, which was recent. You can use the link provided to confirm if you are concerned.
Bread has dairy
I was at the drive-thru in California and asked whether the burger bun has dairy and they told me that it does.
Response from Go Dairy Free
Please read the full post above, including the allergen notes. This information is current, and explains why some staff may say that or be required to say that. The bun itself does not contain dairy according to the company’s current allergen and ingredient information. But there is a potential cross-contamination issue.
The missing link to all menus
Ever have to deal with a dairy allergy? I have a Very severe allergy and I trust the content of this service with helping me navigate nearly all restaurant menus. I’d pay for an app. like this. How can I help fund this work?
Response from Go Dairy Free
You are welcome to reach out to us via our contact us page Jose -> https://www.godairyfree.org/contact-us
For More Dairy-Free Guidance, Get Go Dairy Free!
18 Comments
I would like to find out if the nuggets are truly dairy free and the french fries are truly dairy free also the honey mustard….it’s it also dairy free?
Hi Susan, please see the post above for all details.
As per the container ingredients their new S’awesome (tangy mayo-based sauce), which is excellent, only contains eggs, no milk. I don’t know about their new tenders (as opposed to the standard nuggets)–would appreciate more info if anyone has it.
Thanks for sharing this Philip. Hopefully we can find out more on the tenders.
Does Wendy’s chicken tenders have milk in them?
According to their website, they do not.
Hello there,
To clarify, is it safe to order their double or triple sandwiches with no cheese? Considering one has done the work to see if the the bun also does not contain dairy ingredients.
I would not recommend any fast food as “safe” if you are talking about severe food allergies. This is something you would have to speak with the company about and address with the employees when ordering.
Something must have changed between 2013 and now. Their fries don’t have dairy. The fryers don’t have any dairy products in them. Unless their website is already outdated, their chickens don’t have dairy. My favorite part of the restaurant is that they have the allergen poster, so I don’t have to print stuff out or look online just before going out.
Hi, Stephanie,
I don’t eat at Wendy’s so I’m glad to hear about those posters! They sound very helpful. We’ve double checked the online allergy listings and updated them where appropriate. Thanks for your comments!
Wendy’s allergy menu says the breaded crispy chicken, spicy chicken, and ultimate grilled have milk in them.
I just now checked two different allergen menus for Wendy’s and both said that those menu items did not have milk in them. I would take another look Johnny.
Johnny seems to be correct. Whey protein concentrate is listed as one of the first few ingredients.
I just found this out today. I hadn’t eaten there in years, and ate a burger there yesterday, was so sick to my stomach. I thought maybe it was the cheese (processed), but it wasn’t…it’s the whey in the buns that had my tummy doing flip flops!
What about the kids crispy chicken sand which or their nugget products? Couldn’t find any product info, could it have been in the batter?
Wendy’s fries do contain dairy according to their website and store nutrition poster
Hi, Melissa,
As noted above, Wendy’s fries are cooked in the same oil as ingredients that contain dairy, but the fries themselves are dairy free according to their website.
I just wanted to clarify the opening statement regarding Wendy’s using the same spoon to spread ketchup and mayo. Wendy’s does not use utensil for spreading of condiments. All condiments are kept in squeezable bottles. All condiments are squeezed in the form of a “W” on the bun. Each ingredient container does not come in contact with any other. Other than that, great job.