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National Chain Restaurants  
   
Rating System:  
Many Vegan Options  At least One Vegan Meal Option  
  Something Vegan on The Menu No Vegan Options  
   
All of our listings were either verified directly via the company website, by phone, or by email. The items listed as vegan may come vegan or a request should be made to hold the cheese, sour cream, or mayo, for example. We are adding the entries as we receive confirmation from the companies.
   
If you want to see more Vegan options you need to speak up and let these companies know that there is a demand!
   
Mellow Mushroom (Location Finder)
"Our dough and sauce are animal product free.  We also offer the tofu and tempeh items.  So this would open  up your options for  pizza, calzones and salads (for the vegan diet).  If you avoid butter and parmesan, remember to ask that it is not brushed on to your pizza crust!"
(Source via Email 08.21.06)    
     
On The Border (Location Finder)

Suggested Menu Options for Vegans (contain no meat, dairy or egg):**

·   Only Corn Tortillas (omit all fried varieties, i.e. corn Tortilla Chips or Strips)

·   Appetizers: Guacamole Live

·   House Salad – Order without Cheese and Tortilla Strips

·   Salad Dressings – Sweet Pepper Vinaigrette

·   Sides: Salsa, Black Beans (omit Cheese), Black Bean and Corn Relish, Steamed Veggies, Guacamole

·   Portobello fajitas with Corn Tortillas

·   Fajita salad with Portobello – Order Portobello as a substitute for chicken or beef in the salad.

·   Veggie Quesadillas with Corn Tortillas – Order with Steamed Veggies only.

·   Veggie Tacos with corn Tortillas – Order with Steamed Veggies only. 

   ** Note:  All desserts and fried Items may come into contact with animal products during normal kitchen preparation and cooking processes due to cross-contamination.

(Source: Email 08.22.06)    
     
Jason's Deli (Location Finder)
Jason's has a variety of salads on the menu and a great fresh fruit plate. Their salad bar is very nice also. (The menu has several vegetarian options clearly stated but Jason's has been less then helpful in confirming their vegan options. Several attempts made through corporate and no word yet. The nutritional info link on their site has been dead every time I have checked it in the last year.)
(Source: Frequent Visits)    
     
Chili's (Location Finder)
Our corporate dietitian has compiled the list below of Chili's vegan/vegetarian menu suggestions.  Please be aware that none of our food items are certified vegetarian. Additionally, many of our recipes contain meat, fish, egg and dairy products and normal kitchen operations involve the sharing of cooking and preparation areas, including common fryer oil.  Therefore, it is possible for any food item, including French Fries and/or Chips, to come into contact with animal products during preparation and/or cooking processes. 

Based on our supplier information, the vegan items you may consider are as follows:

      Corn Tortillas
       Salad without cheeses, meats, fried tortilla strips or croutons (choose dressings below
only)
      Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
       Low-fat Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
       Pico de Gallo
       Salsa Picante
       Rice
       Guacamole
       Black Beans
       Steamed Veggies – Corn on the Cob, Broccoli, and/or Fresh Veggies (request no oil
or butter)
       Sliced Tomatoes, Onions and/or Bell Pepper (raw)
       Marinara Sauce
       Kiddie Wheat Bun
** Please note that our Black Bean burger is not vegan friendly and contains dairy
ingredients (patty).

On your next visit to Chili's, please speak with a manager about your dietary restrictions to ensure that your meal is carefully prepared with your needs in mind. 
Source (Email 08.21.06)    
     
Carrabba's Italian Grill (Location Finder)
"Tagliarini Picchi Pacchiu (using dry pasta instead of fresh) is the only dish that would be considered vegan. You could also request our Pomodoro Sauce served over one of our dry pasta cuts. Please feel free to speak to a Manager. They will be happy to prepare something vegan for you at your request."
(Source via Email 08.21.06)    
     
PF Chang's (Location Finder)
"There are a couple of items on our menu that are vegan and others that can be when modified. If cane sugar is not an issue for you, I recommend any items from our “Vegetarian Plates and Sides” and vegetarian marked menu items. If cane sugar is an issue, I recommend the following:

Steamed Buddha’s Feast - you can add soft tofu or pressed tofu to this dish
Stir-Fried Spinach - garlic, salt and pepper. You can add soft tofu or pressed tofu to this dish.
Garlic Snap Peas - garlic, salt and pepper. You can add soft tofu or pressed tofu to this dish.
· You can also order any vegetable or tofu with a modified sauce. Please ask to speak to a manager and they will be happy to accommodate you accordingly."
 
(Source via Email 09.14.06)    
     
Maggiano's Little Italy (Location Finder)
Suggested Menu Options for Vegans (contain no meat, dairy or egg):
Any of our salads can be prepared without meat, eggs or cheese.
Any of our pasta dishes can be prepared with only Garlic and Olive Oil.
Any of our string pastas only (does not include Ravioli, Gnocchi, Lasagna or any fresh
pastas)
House Salad Dressing
Italian Dressings
(Source Email 09.15.06)    
     
Bonefish Grill (Location Finder)
"The following items would be considered vegan… Our house salad, angel hair pasta, and vegetable medley (without butter). All other items contain dairy products or eggs. I would also suggest that you speak with a manager to let he/she know about any dietary restrictions that you may have before ordering"

NOTE: Dined with them on 10.13.06 and had a fabulous experience. Ordered the house salad and modified the Spinach Fettuccine and Chicken Pasta. Ask for angel hair pasta with no chicken. It is sautéed with portabella mushrooms and peppers. Ask for a garlic/olive oil or wine sauté instead of the cream sauce. This was absolutely wonderful! The server was very accommodating and the atmosphere was great. Location Carmel/51.

(Source Email 09.25.06)    
     
Ruth's Chris Steak House South Park
Ok I know a vegan in a steak house? Well sometimes in business I don't always get to pick where I am going. But to survive being vegan in a non vegan world it is prudent to make the best of a situation.

Call ahead and request a vegan meal. The staff was fabulous and my meal was excellent. We had some of the best service I have ever received in Charlotte!

(Visit 04/2007)    
     
The Olive Garden  
Note: The only thing that seems to be vegan would be the garden salad. Hold any croutons and cheese also opt for a simple dressing such as oil and vinegar to be safe. (Per their own statement they cannot guarantee vegan options)

"We appreciate the challenges you face in honoring your personal convictions.  Veganism and vegetarianism take many forms.  A few of our menu items can be adjusted to accommodate a vegan or vegetarian diet, but none wholly meet the criteria.  Our current nutritional database does not include information to the level of specific detail you require.

 
Depending on your personal philosophy, we can suggest the following items as meatless, but not necessarily vegetarian or vegan as they may contain some ingredients which do not comply with your personal philosophy:
 
Minestrone Soup
Garden Salad
Marinara Sauce
Capellini Pomodoro
Eggplant Parmigiana
Fettuccine Alfredo
 
We certainly empathize with the challenges presented to you when you weigh decisions regarding dining out.  We recognize that we do not meet the needs of everyone and our objective remains to offer what our guests, through their selections, indicate are favorites."
(Source via Email 08.22.06)    
     
Qdoba Mexican Grill  
They sent us a full ingredient list of their menu items. At present there are only certain items that we can verify as vegan. If this changes we will update.

Vegan Options:
Cilantro Lime Rice
Black Beans
Pinto Beans
Pico de Gallo
Guacamole

(Source Email 08.22.06)    
     
Max & Erma's  
"Unfortunately, we are not able to provide you with a complete list of ingredients for every item on our menu.  We realize the importance of this information to you and therefore would like to provide you with a few items on our menu that are meat and dairy free.
 
French Fries
Plain Baked Potato
Fruit Cup
Salads - No cheese, croutons, bread sticks (we offer oil & vinegar
dressing).
The Third Street salad dressing contains oil, cider vinegar, sugar,
water, onion, salt, mustard seed, garlic, spices and stabilizers.
 
I believe our Black Bean Roll-up appetizer contain cheese. The Grilled Vegetable Sandwich might be an option if requested without cheese but not sure if the Ciabatta bread contain egg products."
(Source: via Email 08.22.06)    
     
Red Robin  
They have vegan Boca burgers on the menu and a bunch of toppings to create the kind of burger you will enjoy! (Trying to get confirmation on the cooking method and the buns. Will update when the info comes available)
(Source: visit 03.06.07)    
     
Red Lobster NOT RATED  
"Which menu selections are vegetarian?
We are sorry we are not able to provide general nutritional information, as our chefs are continuously creating and customizing recipes for our menu. While we do not have vegetarian items on our menu, some of our items can be prepared without meat or seafood. Speak with the manager about specific menu suggestions that may best meet your needs."
(Source: Company Website 09.16.06)    
     
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