Updated March 2023! Here it is! Our complete dairy-free menu guide for Sonic. This nostalgic fast food chain offers the classic drive-in experience, complete with carhops on roller skates. And we were pleasantly surprised by all of the options they offer without dairy! This guide includes menu items, custom order options, top allergen notes, and even a separate vegan menu.
Sonic Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options
As with all of our guides, make sure you read all of the information and reference any custom order notes in parentheses! For example, if it says (no cheese), you must order without cheese to make it dairy-free by ingredients. We do our best to cover all the bases and details to help make your life easier.
Fryer Note: It can vary by location, but according to Sonic, their fried items are typically cooked in shared fryers with items containing milk or other allergens. They use a fryer shortening for deep frying that is dairy-free, but contains soy.
Butter Note: The bun oil and liquid margarine used for grilling at Sonic are dairy-free, but contain soy. Sonic does not use dairy butter as a standard practice. Individual owners and managers can take liberties, so be sure to verify that your location does not swap in dairy butter.
Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: At last check, all of the following non-dairy options at Sonic were also made without tree nuts and peanuts, except the limited edition churros, which contain peanut, and the Signature Sauce packets have a “may contain” warning for peanuts. All of the following are also made without eggs, except the egg-specific items, churros (limited time), slaw, mayonnaise, tartar sauce, honey mustard, and signature sauce. Sonic isn’t a great spot for gluten-free needs. Their fries, tots, dairy-free grilled proteins, and all dairy-free sauces and condiments listed below are made without gluten. But most prepared menu items contain wheat, and they do use shared fryers and grill their breads on a shared grill. Most items at Sonic are listed as containing soy, since they use bun oil, margarine, and fryer shortening for cooking that all contain soy. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.
Breakfast
- Bagel Sandwich (no cheese) (regional)
- Breakfast Burrito (no cheese)
- Jr. Egg Breakfast Burrito, Bacon or Sausage (no cheese)
- SuperSonic Breakfast Burrito (no cheese)
- Ultimate Meat Breakfast Burrito (no cheese, no cheese sauce)
Heads Up! The Cinnasnacks and French Toast Sticks do contain milk. Sonic does indicate that their “egg” is dairy-free, and we confirmed that this includes the eggs used in the burritos and egg omelet on the sandwiches.
Burgers
- Jr. Burger (no cheese)
- Plain Sonic Burger (no cheese)
- Quarter Pound Double Burger (no cheese)
- Sonic Burger (no cheese)
- SuperSonic Double Burger (no cheese)
- SuperSonic Bacon Double Burger (no cheese)
Heads Up! Sonic has a Veggie Patty available for their burgers, but it is not dairy-free. It contains milk, soy, and gluten.
Hot Dogs
- All-American Dog*
- Chicago Dog
- Chili Coney (no cheese)
- Corn Dogs (see Heads Up below)
- New York Dog*
Heads Up! The Footlong Hot Dog itself does not contain milk, but the Footlong Hot Dog Bun at Sonic now contains milk. Historically, their Corn Dogs have always contained milk, but in a recent update, they say they do not. We are verifying, but as always, check in store.
Sandwiches & Wraps
- Chicken Slinger (sub burger bun)
- Crispy Chicken Sandwich (sub burger bun)
- Fritos Jr. Chili Wrap (no cheese)
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich (sub burger bun) (seasonal)
- Spicy Steak and Bacon Grilled Sandwich (no cheese, no cheese sauce, sub burger bun)
- Steak and Bacon Grilled Sandwich (no cheese, sub burger bun)
Heads Up! The fried chicken patties may be cooked in shared fryers with items containing milk. The Brioche Bun used for chicken sandwiches at Sonic contains dairy. Be sure to substitute a non-dairy bread option from the list below. The seasonal Fish Fillet and Seafood & Crab Sandwich at Sonic do contain milk.
Other Chicken
- Boneless Wings (Regular, Buffalo, and Honey BBQ) (regional)
- Crispy Tenders
- Jumbo Popcorn Chicken (Regular, Buffalo, and Honey BBQ)
Heads Up! These items may be cooked in shared fryers with items containing milk.
Sides
- Fries
- Tots
- Fritos Corn Chips
- Pickle-O’s
- Tree Top Apple Sauce
- 5-Piece Churros (seasonal)
- Chili Fries (no cheese)
- Chili Tots (no cheese)
- Soft Pretzel Twist (no cheese)
Heads Up! The Onion Rings used to be dairy-free, but the company is now reporting them as containing milk. The fries and tots may be cooked in shared fryers with items containing milk. We are inquiring about the BBQ Chip Seasoned Tots.
Kids Menu
- Corn Dog Wacky Pack (see Heads Up below)
- Crispy Tenders Wacky Pack
- Hamburger Wacky Pack
- Hot Dog Wacky Pack
Heads Up! At last check, all side options for the Kids Menu were made without milk. In a recent update, Sonic states the Corn Dogs are now made without milk. They historically have always contained milk, so as always, be sure to verify at your location before ordering.
Bread
- Bagel
- Burger Bun (NOT the brioche bun)
- Hot Dog Bun* (NOT the footlong bun)
- Philly Roll
- Poppy Hot Dog Bun
- Soft Pretzel Twist
- Tortilla
Heads Up! Their Brioche Buns, Biscuits, Texas Toast, Pretzel Bun, and Croissants all contain dairy. The Texas Toast was historically dairy-free, but Sonic states they have a new supplier. Their Bun Oil and Liquid Margarine are dairy-free, but contain soy. They do not use real butter. Please note that some Sonic locations might source their breads from local bakeries, so they might have different allergen risks. Always check the ingredients at your location before ordering.
Burger / Sandwich Proteins
- Bacon
- Breaded Chicken Breast
- Crispy Chicken Slinger Filet
- Crispy Tender
- Egg
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- Ham
- Hamburger Patty
- Hot Dogs
- Philly Sirloin Steak
- Sausage Crumbles
- Sausage Patty
- Sirloin Steak
Heads Up! The Fish Fillet, Country fried Steak Fritter, Pork Tenderloin Fritter, Seafood & Crab Patty, and Veggie Burger Patty do contain milk when available. These are all proteins on seasonal, limited time, or regional menu items. All fried may be cooked in shared fryers with items containing milk.
Sauces & Condiments
- BBQ Sauce (packet)
- Buffalo Sauce
- Celery Salt
- Hickory BBQ Sauce
- Honey BBQ Sauce
- Honey Mustard (packet)
- Ketchup
- Marinara (packet)
- Mayonnaise, Light (packet)
- Mayonnaise, Regular
- Mustard
- Picante Sauce
- Relish
- Salsa de Sonic (packet)
- Salt / Pepper Blend
- Signature Sauce (packet)
- Spicy Brown Mustard
- Sweet and Sour Sauce (packet)
- Sweet Relish (packet)
- Tartar Sauce
Heads Up! The SweetAsian Chili Sauce and Gravy at Sonic do contain milk. The Sonic Crave Sauce was dairy-free, but was a limited time offer. We don’t know if it will return.
Burger, Sandwich & Burrito Toppings
- Avocado
- Bacon
- Chili
- Dill Pickles
- Grilled Onions
- Hatch Green Chiles
- Jalapeños
- Lettuce
- Onions, Diced
- Sauerkraut
- Sport Peppers
- Tomato
Flavor Syrups & Fruit (for Slushes)
- Blue Coconut
- Blue Raspberry
- Cherry
- Cranberry
- French Vanilla
- Grape
- Lemon
- Lime
- Powerade
- Strawberry
- Sugar-Free Blackberry
- Sugar-Free Diet Cherry
- Sugar-Free Mango
- Sugar-Free Peach
- Sugar-Free Raspberry
Heads Up! The Cheesecake Syrup at Sonic does contain milk.
Dessert Toppings
- Chocolate Fudge Topping*
- Peanut Butter Topping
- Strawberry Topping
- Fresh Banana
- Graham Crumbs
- Lemon
- Lime
- Maraschino Cherries
- Nerds
- OREO Cookie Pieces
Heads Up! At the time of our review, Sonic did not offer any dairy-free ice cream. Hopefully they will soon!
Sonic Vegan Menu Guide
- Fries
- Tots
- Fritos Corn Chips
- Tree Top Apple Sauce
- Soft Pretzel Twist (no cheese)
- Buffalo Sauce
- Hickory BBQ
- Ketchup
- Marinara
- Mustard
- Salsa de Sonic
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Sweet Relish
- All Breads Listed Above (can vary by location)
- All Toppings Listed Above
- Slushes (see syrup options above)
Heads Up! Sonic has a Veggie Patty available for their burgers, but it contains milk, soy, and gluten. Sorry, the Churros are dairy-free, but not vegan! They do contain eggs.
* These items have a “may contain” warning for milk on their packaging (from the production). Please see our May Contain Guide to understand this notation. There are many other potential cross-contamination risks at Sonic (and all restaurants), so these “may contain” notes do not mean all other items on this post are without risk for potential cross contamination with allergens.
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 Sonic Drive Ins
There are over 3500 Sonic restaurants spread out amount 46 U.S. states. See their website below for locations, hours, and online ordering.
Website: www.sonicdrivein.com
Average Reader Review
Rate Your Dairy-Free Experience with this Restaurant
What Others Are Saying ...
Love Dairy Free Onion Rings
Love Dairy Free Onion Rings!
(please make Dairy Free ice cream)
Shortening in Ice Cream
I have been getting Slush Floats for the past 2 weeks, trying all the flavors 🙂 They are very good BUT I have came across several small amounts of some sort of Crisco / shortening in all of them. Has anyone else experienced this? Where is it coming from?
Greatful
Thank you!!! Because of Godairyfree I can finally go out to eat with friends and family without fear of having horrible reactions.
Dairy free for NICU baby
Her lists helped me maintain being dairy free while constantly having to eat out while my son was in the NICU. Forever grateful to her and I still visit at least once a week to check for dairy free items.
Response from Go Dairy Free
Happy to help and I hope your son is doing well!
Sausage Breakfast Burrito - delicious with no chz
They had no issue making the bkfst burrito with no cheese. It tasted great!
For More Dairy-Free Guidance, Get Go Dairy Free!
