Updated 2018! Wendy’s is one of the largest burger chains in North America. The bulk of the restaurants are in the U.S. and Canada, but there are some other locations in South America, Asia, and beyond. For the U.S. and Canada, allergen information is available via their interactive menu and upon request. However, they no longer update an allergen chart online. So it took a bit of sleuthing to update our dairy-free list this year! The specifics listed are from the U.S. allergen details, but I’ve also included a link to Canada’s interactive menu below. It is possible for menu items and ingredients to vary between countries.
No Dairy (Milk-Based) Ingredients (see disclaimer below)
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Breakfast – Seasoned Homestyle Potatoes
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Sandwiches (see Allergen Note below) – Kids’ Hamburger, Hamburger (without cheese), Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Homestyle Chicken Sandwich, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Premium Cod Sandwich (seasonal)
- Bread & Buns (see Allergen Note below) – Sandwich Bun, Premium Bun, Tortilla
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Sandwich & Salad Proteins (see Allergen Note below) – Jr. Hamburger Patty, Hamburger Patty, Grilled Chicken Breast, Spicy Chicken Breast, Homestyle Chicken Breast, Crispy Chicken Patty, Premium Cod (seasonal), Applewood Smoked Bacon
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Other Chicken – Crispy Chicken Nuggets, Chicken Tenders
- Kids’ Meal – Kids’ Nuggets, Chicken Tenders, Hamburger (see Allergen Note below)
- Sides – French Fries, Plain Baked Potato, Chili (see Allergen Note below), Apple Bites, Summer Berry Burst Fruit Cup, Hot Chili Seasoning Packet, Saltine Crackers
- Salad Dressings & Toppings – Raspberry Acai Vinaigrette, Pomegranate Vinaigrette Dressing, Roasted Almonds, Roasted Tomato Salsa, Taco Chips
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Dipping Sauces (see Allergen Note below) – Honey Mustard, Barbecue, Sriracha, Sweet & Sour
- Sauces – Smoky Honey Mustard Sauce, Tartar Sauce, Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Mustard
Other Allergen Notes: At last check, it looked like all of Wendy’s fried items were made without dairy. So fryer cross-contamination with milk might not be a problem. However, they do have potential cross-contamination issues with the hamburger patties (also used in the chili) due to cheeseburgers cooked on the same grill. That is why the chili was confusingly labeled as “contains milk” according their customer service. According to Wendy’s, their buns are toasted in a common toaster with products that contain Egg, Milk, and Soy. Untoasted buns are available upon request. Wendy’s no longer lists out their sauces online, so we could not confirm which Dipping Sauces are still available and if the ingredients are still dairy free. As always, check the ingredients in store to verify.
More Details from Wendy’s
Allergen Disclaimer from Wendy’s: We provide known instances of allergens; however, please understand that cross contact is possible due to common handling and preparation areas in our restaurants. We are unable to guarantee that any menu item can be completely free of allergens. Customers with allergies and sensitivities should exercise judgment when ordering.
Restaurant Website: www.wendys.com
U.S. Allergen Information: menu.wendys.com/en_US/categories/?_ga=2.212351956.19701979.1533412432-428450530.1533412432
Canada Allergen Information: menu.wendys.com/en_CA/categories/?_ga=2.16674934.19701979.1533412432-428450530.1533412432
Last Updated: August 4, 2018
16 Comments
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.