7 Fast-Food Vegan Breakfasts to Try (Plus DIY Recipes)
If you’ve heard it before, you’ve heard it 1,000 times: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And that’s mainly because it helps wake you up, boosts your energy, and kickstarts your metabolism. But when you’re on the go, finding something vegan to eat in the morning can be a little tricky. While it’s becoming easier to find plant-based options on fast food main menus, when it comes to breakfast, chains are lagging a bit. That said, things are getting better. And they’re expected to continue to do so. In fact, by 2026, market research firm Technavio predicts that the vegan fast food market will grow to nearly $19 billion.
But if you’re in a hurry for breakfast, you don’t have to wait four years to find something. There are a handful of options available right now, and we’ve rounded them up below (along with a few recipes you can bookmark for those mornings when you have more time!). But before we get to that, let’s take a closer look at the vegan fast food market as a whole and why the future looks bright.
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Fast Food Chains Are Going Vegan
Around the world, it’s easier than ever to find vegan fast food. In the UK and Ireland, for example, McDonald’s customers can get the McPlant, and in Hong Kong, vegan Spam is on the menu. Also in the UK, KFC is selling vegan chicken burgers. And across Europe, the fast food chain is also reportedly working on introducing vegan buckets. Starbucks is also selling vegan options in several markets, including a plant-based Beyond Meat Breakfast sandwich in the UK.
But one chain has stood out from the crowd when it comes to meatless offerings. That’s Burger King. In the US, it offers an Impossible Whopper, but elsewhere, in countries like the UK, the Netherlands, Chile and Spain, the chain has gone even further and opened 100% vegan restaurants.
There’s no doubt that fast food is shifting toward plant-based foods. And according to Technavio, this shift is due to the growing number of vegan consumers worldwide. Over the past decade, the vegan population has grown by about 300 percent, and fast food restaurants simply want to attract their customers.
But vegans aren’t the only ones buying plant-based fast food. The number of people who call themselves flexitarians is also on the rise. That means they don’t want to give up animal products entirely, but are looking to reduce their consumption. In the United States, more than half of young people identify as flexitarians.
RELATED: What’s dairy-free at Caribou Coffee?
Vegan breakfast
Increasingly, fast food chains are keen to cater to this growing demand for flexitarianism. That’s why Starbucks in the US, for example, offers an Impossible Breakfast sandwich, but while the sausage is vegan, it also comes with cheese and egg.
There are, however, vegan alternatives to these breakfast staples. JUST Egg, for example, offers an egg alternative made from mung beans, but it cooks and tastes just like real eggs. And as the dairy-free market grows, vegan cheese options are becoming abundantly available. Both are available in supermarkets across the US, alongside Impossible Sausage, which mimics regular breakfast sausage in both taste and texture. Plus, the vegan bacon market is also growing (if you need some guidance, we’ve rounded up the best bacon brands for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!).
But you don’t have to buy specialty products to enjoy a vegan breakfast. Tofu can be scrambled and taste just like an egg (especially if you add a little kala namak salt), and the mushrooms, tomatoes, and avocado are, of course, naturally plant-based. Plus, you can usually find vegan bagels and English muffins at most stores.
Vegan Fast Food Breakfast Options
If you’re on the road and looking to fuel up, there are a few quick vegan breakfast options available to you. (Whether you stick with a plain muffin or a full-on breakfast burrito depends on where you live, though!)
Peet’s Cafe
1 Peet’s Cafe
If you’re jealous of Starbucks’ Impossible Breakfast sandwich, Peet’s Coffee offers a very similar alternative. Its plant-based sandwich features a Beyond Meat vegan breakfast sausage, paired with JUST Egg and dairy-free melted cheddar cheese. You can pair it with a dark roast coffee, a regular Americano, an espresso, or one of its herbal tea options. Plus, the chain also offers plant-based milk.
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Starbucks
2 Starbucks
Unfortunately, there’s no vegan breakfast sandwich at Starbucks US right now. However, vegans aren’t completely without options. Its avocado spread is plant-based, as is its bagel line. Combine the two and you’ve got a tasty meal on the go. You can also grab a vegan protein box at select locations, which includes chickpea bites, veggies, and nuts. For a caffeine boost, the chain serves the usual black coffees and teas, as well as a range of milk alternatives (but keep in mind that you still have to pay extra for the latter in your drink).
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3 Burger King
Burger King also offers an Impossible Whopper, which can be made vegan, on its daytime menu. If you arrive around 10:30 a.m. for a late breakfast, you might be in luck. But if you leave before then, good news! You also have options. Unexpectedly, the chain’s French Toast Sticks are vegan, as is the syrup served with them. If you’re really hungry, you can also order hash browns on the side. To drink, there’s black coffee or orange juice.
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McDonalds
4 McDonalds
McDonald’s breakfast menu is pretty limited when it comes to vegan options. But, in addition to coffee and juice, you can order a plain English muffin. Unlike Burger King, the chain’s hash browns aren’t vegan, as they contain beef flavoring.
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Jamba juice
5 Jamba
A nutritious, plant-rich smoothie is a great way to start your day, especially if you don’t have much of an appetite in the morning. Jamba offers several plant-based smoothie options, including Watermelon Breeze, Mega Mango, and Pomegranate Paradise. But if you’re feeling peckish, you can also opt for oatmeal, a Vanilla Blue Sky Bowl, or request that one of the other bowl options be made plant-based, by omitting the honey or yogurt.
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@plantpowerfastfood/IG
6 Fast plant-based food
If you’re lucky enough to live near a Plant Power fast food restaurant in California, you’ll have plenty of breakfast options to choose from. You’ll find everything from a vegan egg and cheese muffin to a fried egg and bacon bagel to a breakfast burrito. You can also enjoy a side of hash browns. And to go with it all, you can enjoy cold-pressed juices, iced beverages, and hot coffee.
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HipCityVeg
7 HipCityVeg
For those in Washington, D.C. or Philadelphia, HipCityVeg also offers a number of vegan breakfast options. In addition to the classic Golden Hash Browns, you can order the Breakfast Maple Crispy Chick’n, the Wake and Bac’n (with JUST an egg on an English muffin), and the Sunnyside Sausage, Egg, and Cheese. To drink, there’s unsweetened black tea, sweetened green tea, and the BFG smoothie.
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How to Make a Vegan Breakfast at Home
When you’re not in a rush in the morning, it’s nice to take some time to make a delicious breakfast. To inspire you, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite vegan recipes below, all of which will give you the energy you need to take on the day.
Lauren Toyota
1 Breakfast Skillet
If you’re craving a hearty breakfast, this skillet of roasted potatoes, scrambled tofu, spicy sauces and avocados will leave you feeling full and satisfied. It takes some preparation and the potatoes will need to be pre-boiled, but the results are well worth it.
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Hannah Kaminsky
2 Scrambled sandwich
If you can’t afford a breakfast sandwich, make one! With tofu as the main ingredient, this vegan breakfast scramble recipe is easy to follow. Plus, you can customize it however you like. Craving something meaty? Add a vegan breakfast sausage, too.
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Bailey Ruskus
3 Breakfast Tacos
Tacos aren’t just for Tuesdays. They’re served every day of the week and are a great breakfast option. Again, the main ingredient in this recipe is tofu, along with sweet potatoes. But for an even spicier breakfast, you’ll also want some homemade ranchero sauce.
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Mareïa Ibrahim
4 Buckwheat Breakfast Bowl
If you’re looking for something quick, easy, and nutritious, this buckwheat breakfast bowl will do the trick. All you need is almond milk, buckwheat, dates, and a little ground cinnamon (which will also add flavor to your kitchen). Plus, it’s gluten-free!
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Live Eat Learn
5 Quinoa, Strawberry and Cream Porridge
The same bowl of porridge every day can get a little boring after a while. So if your morning meal needs a little zing, this recipe is perfect. It’s deliciously sweet, thanks to the strawberries and maple syrup, but it’s also packed with protein and fibre.
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To learn more about vegan fast food, read:
Charlotte is a VegNews writer and editor based in sunny Southsea on the south coast of England.
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