Subway, 7-11 and Other Fast Food Giants also Cater to Vegans. Who Knew?


French fries are like crack.

But a happy meal, like crack, can also leave you face down in the gutter of your own misery and self–loathing. You already know that fast food makes your ass fat, wreaks havoc on your skin and perpetuates animal murder on a daily basis.

But what’s a gal to do when there ain't a Whole Foods in sight and you need sustenance, like, now?

Whether it’s 2 a.m. on that girl's weekend road trip or in between back-to-back business meetings on the god-forsaken day you forgot your lunch, we all know the drill: It’s either eat fast food or pass out.

Vegan Apocalypse

While we won't ever condone that bag of salty fries―you bitches know better―we are stoked to see that some popular fast-food chains seem to be catching on to the fact that not everyone wants meat and mucous for lunch.

With a whopping 8 to 9 percent of the U.S. population now opting for a meat-free diet, it’s clear that the customer is always right. But what companies are actually on board? And can we really trust what we're eating?


Game Changers

In October, Subway tweeted about Vegetarian Awareness Month and asked its customers for feedback about improving their vegetarian and vegan options. The result? Thousands of plant-eaters rallying for their right to fake meat. Compassion Over Killing, an animal advocacy organization, even created a website that encourages people to give Subway feedback and suggestions for vegan and vegetarian options. As of now, the only veggie option on the menu is the Veggie Delight sandwich.

In other news, 7-11 is also offering vegan options in a select number of stores across the nation. The choices? Pad thai noodles, vegetable lo mein, Shanghai dumplings, artichoke spinach noodles and hunan dumplings. Not that we've been to 7-11 since our high school slurpee days, but this shit is progress, folks.

It’s Like, Trendy

What’s even more super is that the media is taking note of these postive food moves by corporate giants. A recent CNN piece outlined how veggie and vegan teens are becoming more obnoxious and abundant than Twilight fans, opting for―and demanding―healthier food options at school and home. Pass the tofu, Mom!


The LA Times reported on how restaurants are “super-sizing” nutritional options to better accommodate people with dietary restrictions or lifestyle choices like veganism. After a few pissed-off vegetarians complained to Chipotle, for example, the company changed its menus to disclose the fact that their pinto beans are made with bacon. Gross? Yes. But full disclosure about our fast food means we get to make educated choices.

City Rats Get Good Munchies

If you're lucky enough to live in a larger city, you can also head to your local vegan fast food joint (or butcher shop). Brooklyn's Food Swings―open til 2 a.m. for your post-clubbing munchies―offers delectables like Butterfinger milkshakes, corn dogs and disco fries. Loving Hut, with locations in many major U.S. and international cities, has everything from chicken nuggets and burgers to rice plates with tofu―all 100 percent vegan.


Hold the Ketchup

Before you go digging through the couch cushions for change, make sure those french fries weren't doused in bacon grease. Many meat-focused fast food chains prepare all their food, vegetarian or not, with machines, equipment or ingredients that might have animal-by products contaminating your shit up. If you're unsure about something, get some balls and just ask.

But in the end of the day, it all boils down to where you draw the line for your own personal standards.

What Can I Do?

If you want to have your burger and eat it too, start demanding more vegan options. Saturate company Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and other social media outlets with your rants. Let them know what the hell is up.

Also, check out this vegan's blog, where an entire list of popular fast food chains is provided, along with vegan and vegetarian food options for each.

Do you have a question about fast food you want us to answer?  Would you eat fast food more if there were vegan options? Let us know in the comments section below or on Facebook!


Mara Tyler, Managing Editor of HealthyBitchDaily.com
Mara Tyler is a health and wellness die-hard with a penchant for sarcasm. A former public relations and marketing professional, she's helped grow bleeding-heart health and fitness startups into successful companies with the wave of her magic wand. When she’s not berating her friends for eating Big Macs or preaching to her family about the wonders of green smoothies, she can be found reading bad chick lit, scouting out new indie bands or attempting to find bliss in yoga. Mara lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.