Updated February 2024! Over the years, we’ve received many Red Robin raves from our dairy-free readers. They were one of the first restaurant chains to implement a full allergen menu and allergen protocols, followed by an interactive allergen menu. And they have no shortage of dairy-free options – especially with their improved menu that boasts more “gourmet” touches. Red Robin has upgraded their burgers with new ingredients and techniques, and they’ve added several items to their appetizer, entree, and beverage selection.
Red Robin Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options
Be sure to read all of the allergen information below. This explains why some staff at Red Robin might not recommend all of the items listed below if you state you have a milk allergy. 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.
Allergen Policies: All menu items listed bellow, per Red Robin, are made without milk. But they are heavy handed with cross-contamination warnings. If you tell the staff you have a milk allergy, they might not recommend any items cooked on the grill, including the buns and burgers. They also include fryer warnings, even for the steak fries, which are cooked in a dedicated fryer. (Other items might be cooked in shared fryers.) Speak with the staff to identify the safest options for your needs if concerned about potential cross contamination. According to Red Robin, their staff is trained in allergen protocols, and the following is how they handle food allergy order requests.
Your server will alert the kitchen staff of the allergen order. Then our kitchen staff will use the designated purple allergen kit and tools to create your meal. It will then be identified with a purple pick so the server is aware that this is the allergen meal and it was prepared using the Red Robin allergen procedures. The entire kit and all the tools are washed, rinsed and sanitized prior to the next use.
Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: Almost all items listed below can be made without egg by simply substituting any mayo-based sauces, omitting the egg (a couple menu items have egg on them), and skipping the gluten-free bun. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.
Appetizers
- BBQ Burnt Ends Loaded Fries (no ranch dressing)
- Crispy Brussel Sprouts (no parmesan)
- Crispy Fried Pickles
- Pretzel Bites (no beer cheese)
- Saucy Bone-In Wings ‘n’ Yukon Chips with Banzai, Island Heat, or Whiskey River BBQ Sauce (no onion straws; ensure no cheese)
- Saucy Boneless Chicken Bites Banzai, Island Heat, or Whiskey River BBQ Sauce (no onion straws; ensure no cheese)
Heads Up! The Tsunami Shrimp, Onion Rings, and Buzzard Sauce do contain milk.
Burgers
- BBQ Burnt Ends ‘n Bacon Burger (no cheese, no onion straws)
- Smashed Avocado ‘n Bacon Burger (no cheese)
- Banzai Burger (no cheese)
- Bacon Burger (no cheese)
- Bleu Ribbon Burger (no cheese, no onion straws)
- Burnin’ Love Burger (no cheese)
- Keep It Simple Beef Burger
- Keep It Simple Chicken Sandwich
- Keep It Simple Veggie Burger
- Monster Burger (no cheese)
- Red Robin Gourmet Burger (no cheese)
- Royal Red Robin Burger (no cheese)
- Scorpion Burger (no aioli, no cheese)
- Smoke & Pepper Burger (no cheese)
- Tavern Haystack Double Burger (no cheese, no onion straws)
- Tavern Pig Out Double Burger (no cheese)
- Tavern Red’s Double Burger (no cheese)
- The Impossible Burger (no cheese)
- The Southern Charm Burger (no cheese)
- The Wedgie Burger
- Turkey Burger (no cheese)
- Veggie Burger (no cheese, no aioli)
- Whiskey River BBQ Burger (no cheese, no onion straws)
Heads Up! The Roasted Garlic Aioli used to be made without dairy, but now it contains milk. The Sauteed Mushrooms and Onion Straws at Red Robin also contain milk. The dairy-free bread, bun, and wrap options are listed below. At the time of our review, all buns at Red Robin were made without milk. However, if you alert the staff to a milk allergy, they might not recommend the burgers due to potential cross contamination on the grill. See the Allergen Policies above for more details.
Sandwiches & Wraps
- BLTA (sub dairy-free bun)
- California Chicken Sandwich (no cheese)
- Chicken Sandwich (sub grilled chicken)
- Chicken Wrap (no cheese, no ranch, sub grilled chicken)
- Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich (no cheese)
- Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Sandwich (no cheese, no onion straws)
- Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Wrap (no cheese, no ranch)
Heads Up! The Crispy Chicken and Crispy Fish filets at Red Robin do contain milk. But you can substitute the Grilled Chicken, Impossible Patty, Turkey Patty, or Veggie Patty in any sandwich or wrap. The dairy-free bread, bun, and wrap options are listed below. At the time of our review, all buns at Red Robin were made without milk. However, if you alert the staff to a milk allergy, they might not recommend the buns due to potential cross contamination on the grill. See the Allergen Policies above for more details.
Pizza
Heads Up! Some locations offer Donato’s Pizza, but all of the pizza crusts do contain milk.
Other Entrees
- Clucks & Fries (no buzz sauce, sub dairy-free side sauce)
- Whiskey River BBQ Ribs
Heads Up! The Tsunami Shrimp, fish in the Fish & Chips, and chicken marinade for the Ensenada Chicken Platter do contain milk. So these items cannot be ordered without dairy.
Salads
- Avo-Cobb-O Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
- Bottomless House Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
- Crispy Chicken Tender Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
- Simply Grilled Chicken Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
- Southwest Chicken Salad (no cheese, no ranch, sub plain grilled chicken (no ancho marinade))
Dairy-Free Salad Dressings: Balsamic, Dijon Vinaigrette, Honey Mustard Poppyseed, Italian, Olive Oil & Vinegar, Thousand Island
Heads Up! The Chicken Tenders at Red Robin are made without milk. They are different from the Crispy Chicken Filet (which does contain milk).
Sides
- Coleslaw
- Side Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
- Steak Fries (see note below)
- Steamed Broccoli
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Yukon Chips
Steak Fries Note: Red Robin’s steak fries do not contain wheat, eggs, soy, fish, shellfish, or milk, and Red Robin does have a dedicated fryer for cooking their steak fries. But the company still says, “it is not recommended to consume the steak fries if you are trying to avoid these allergens due to possible cross contact in our fryer station.” In all likelihood, there is potential cross contact at all of their cooking stations. As always, speak with your server before ordering anything if potential cross contact is a concern for your needs.
Heads Up! The Onion Rings at Red Robin do contain milk and the Garlic Fries are loaded with butter and parmesan.
Kid’s Menu
- Cluck-A-Doodles (order dairy-free dipping sauce)
- Grilled Chicken Dip’ns (order dairy-free dipping sauce)
- Red’s Burger with Beef, Chicken, Turkey or Veggie Patty (no cheese)
- Coleslaw
- Mandarin Oranges
- Side Salad
- Steak Fries (see Side Notes above)
- Steamed Carrots
- Steamed Broccoli
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Yukon Chips
Heads Up! The Cluck-a-Doodles (chicken tenders) were reformulated and no longer contain milk. However, as noted above, the Onion Rings and Pizza Crust do contain milk. The Corn Doggies also contain milk.
Desserts
- Cinnamon Sugar Doh! Rings (no caramel or fudge side sauces)
- Gooey Chocolate Brownie Cake (no soft serve, no hot fudge)
Specialty Beverages
- Caramel Apple Lemonade
- Freckled Lemonade
- Honey Mango Lemonade or Tea
- Orange Cream Soda (no whipped cream)
- Peach Lemonade
- Poppin’ Purple Lemonade
- Raspberry Cream Soda (no whipped cream)
- Sunset Lemonade
- Very Berry Raspberry Limeade
Heads Up! They have more naturally dairy-free drinks at Red Robin, these are just some of the specialty ones that are unique.
Breads & Buns
- Brioche Bun
- Flour Tortilla
- Gluten Free Bun
- Tavern Bun
- Wedgie Style (Lettuce Wrap)
Heads Up! The Pretzel Bun (when available) and Croissant do contain milk.
Sauces & Seasonings
- Balsamic Dressing
- Banzai Sauce
- Blackened Seasoning
- Campfire Mayo
- Chipotle Aioli
- Dijon Vinaigrette
- Heinz 57 Sauce
- Honey Mustard Poppyseed Dressing
- House Made Salsa
- Island Heat Sauce
- Italian Dressing
- Marinara Sauce
- Olive Oil & Vinegar
- Premium Mayonnaise
- Red Robin Seasoning
- Scorpion Sauce
- Smashed Avocado
- Smoke ‘n Pepper Ketchup
- Sweet & Spicy Ketchup
- Sweet & Thick Teriyaki Sauce
- Tartar Sauce
- Thousand Island Dressing
- Whiskey River BBQ Sauce
Heads Up! The Buzz Sauce, Roasted Garlic Aioli, all Ranch and all Cheesy sauces and dressings at Red Robin. contain milk. Also, bottled Sauces for retail might have different ingredients from the sauces used in the restaurant. Always verify ingredients!
Red Robin Vegan Menu Guide
Vegan Appetizers
- Crispy Brussel Sprouts (no parmesan)
- Crispy Fried Pickles (no mayo)
- Pretzel Bites (no beer cheese)
Heads Up! The Crispy Fried Pickles were mistakenly flagged as containing eggs, as the ingredients and contains statement show no egg. We are not sure why Red Robin labeled Brussel sprouts (with no other ingredients added) as non-vegan.
Vegan Burgers, Sandwiches, and Wraps
- Impossible Gourmet Burger (no cheese, no mayo)
- Keep It Simple Veggie Burger
- Kid’s Red’s Veggie Burger (no cheese)
- Veggie Burger (no cheese, no aioli)
- Wrap (no cheese, no aioli, sub veggie patty)
Vegan Breads: Brioche Bun, Tavern Bun, Tortilla, Wedgie Style (Lettuce Wrap)
Heads Up! See the Vegan Sauces below for custom ordering.
Vegan Sides
- Mandarin Oranges
- Side Salad (no cheese, no croutons, sub dressing from Vegan Sauces below)
- Steak Fries
- Steamed Broccoli
- Steamed Carrots
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Yukon Chips
Vegan Sauces
- Heinz 57 Sauce
- House Made Salsa
- Island Heat Sauce
- Marinara Sauce
- Olive Oil & Vinegar
- Scorpion Sauce
- Smashed Avocado
- Whiskey River BBQ Sauce
Heads Up! All Salad Dressings at Red Robin are reportedly non-vegan, but some locations offer Olive Oil & Vinegar. Several of the sauces are listed as non-vegan due to the sugar used, which is not vegan by processing.
Vegan Desserts
- Doh! Rings (no caramel or fudge side sauces; see Heads Up below)
Heads Up! The Doh! Rings themselves are listed as vegan-friendly, but the cinnamon-sugar topping isn’t. It’s likely due to the sourcing of the sugar, but all ingredients are technically “plant based.”
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 Red Robin
They have over 500 locations in the U.S. See their website below for addresses, hours, an interactive allergen menu, and contact information.
Website: www.redrobin.com
13 Comments
The allergen menu online excludes bacon when I check the dairy box. Any idea why? Bacon should be dairy free…
We were just about to update Amy, thank you for the heads up! We’re following up with them, as this is very odd. Once I have an answer, we’ll update. In the mean time, we’ve added a warning.
Red Robin just started bottling their sauces and the Whiskey River BBQ sauce has powdered whey in the ingredients. Hopefully the restaurant version does not!
Thanks Bethany, I checked and the items above are still correct. Packaged products from restaurants often vary from the restaurant version (for example, The Cheesecake Factory’s packaged “famous brown bread” is a completely different recipe from what their actual “famous” bread served in house), so it’s good you checked! I have added a note to the post to make sure people check!
I learned this the hard way as to buying food from a restaurant in 2021 — the Whiskey River BBQ sauce definitely DOES have whey in it and yet Red Robin’s current allergen menu that I’m seeing in 2022 fails to note it as an issue.
Are you certain the restaurant Whiskey River BBQ Sauce contains whey? The company has verified that it does not. BUT the bottled version for sale retail does contain whey. Typically, the packaged versions of restaurant items have a different recipe.
I don’t see the bonzai burger mentioned here. I see red robin notes the grilled pineapple has milk. Does anyone know why? I’ve called a few different locations and no one is helping me. They just say “I don’t know. Probably the manufacturer”.
Hi Adrienne, as noted, Red Robin states their bacon contains milk, when in fact, it’s a cross-contamination risk from the grill. We’ve explained that in the post above. I assume it is the same reason with the grilled pineapple – risk of cross-contamination on the grill, not an actual milk ingredient. I don’t fully understand why the burgers are then considered safe, but they might have a separate burger grill, with no other products cooked on it, and a process of adding cheese after the burger is removed from the grill. It is frustrating when companies haphazardly label “contains milk” for cross-contamination risk.
I was wondering, it hasn’t been posted anywhere. You can eat the burger but can you eat the fries?
Hi Joseph, they have a full allergen menu at most if not all of the Red Robin restaurants; just ask for it when seated. If my memory serves me, I believe the fries are, but I don’t know if there are cross-contamination issues with the fryer – I would check at the restaurant.
Red Robin has changed the way the handle their allergy menu. It is all online now. It takes a little but to find the menu, but it is worth it. They have you select all of the allergens you are avoiding and give you a menu tailored to you. The menu tells you how you can order a menu item to fit your specific needs. For example you can order a Blue Ribbon Burger with no cheese and no onion straws and it is now dairy free. I was impressed once I was able to actually find it.
Thank you for the update Katie!
The Red Robin allergen menu that they have in 2022 could be alot better than it is, by adding a bit of detail that helps the lactose intolerant person. For example, they say the sauteed mushrooms are off limits, but the manager on the phone said that’s because it contains Reggiano cheese. However, the dictionary definition of Reggiano (not specific to Red Robin’s website) is a high-quality parmesan cheese that is usually aged for several years. As a lactose intolerant person, I can eat cheese that matches that dictionary definition. The manager also said “it’s Reggiano cheese not Parmesan.” It is an already packaged combo for the sautee, so I didn’t get an answer to what it is sauteed in, but knowing specifics helps a person know if it will work with their Lactaid pill. They should also specifically list for the customer the type of milk product and never forget to tell us if something has whey power in it.