Everything That’s Vegan at Johnny Rockets: Burgers, Shakes, and More

Inspired by 1950s diners, Johnny Rockets has provided customers with a classic burger joint experience since 1986. With a focus on beef burgers and dairy milkshakes, you might wonder if there's space for plant-based customers. Luckily, in recent years, Johnny Rockets has bulked up its vegan menu so visitors can enjoy a nostalgia-filled meal regardless of dietary preference!

Until recently, however, the Johnny Rockets menu offered minimal plant-based options (pretty much exclusively side items). Now, the company is attempting to expand its vegan offerings with several partnerships with major plant-based brands including Craig's Vegan and Impossible Foods. Last May, the company debuted its first selection of dairy-free milkshakes and a fully plant-based cheeseburger that also feature Daiya's vegan cheese.

Johnny Rockets' menu is more vegan-friendly than ever, but ordering fully plant-based at this burger chain can be tricky. It is important to double-check with the staff that the burger bun is vegan because the gluten-free bun contains dairy and egg ingredients. Here's everything that's vegan-friendly at Johnny Rockets.

Similar to several other fast food chains, Johnny Rockets can not guarantee a 100 percent vegan kitchen. While the ingredients of these menu items are plant-based, there is a chance for cross-contamination.

The traditional Johnny Rockets burger bun contains egg, so to order any burger fully vegan, you must request a plant-based burger bun or bread. Some locations might not offer a plant-based bun, so we suggest ordering as a lettuce wrap. Also, some locations no longer served the Impossible Burger, but the company could potentially release it as a permanent menu item following the trial period.

Dairy-Free Dressings at Johnny Rockets

Dairy-Free Sauces at Johnny Rockets

Dairy-Free Milkshakes at Johnny Rockets

Johnny Rockets teamed up with Hollywood-based Craig's Vegan to feature a non-dairy milkshake selection designed to fulfill the classic Califonia drive-in experience without any animal ingredients. The initial selection feature three flavors of cashew-based shakes that are perfectly paired with one of Johnny Rockets' plant-based burgers.

The original Johnny Rockets on Melrose Avenue closed down near the beginning of 2020, and soon after, the vegan burger chain Noomo took over the space. This June, the vegan burger chain revealed that it partnered with the franchising firm Fransmart to bring vegan burgers to Americans everywhere. The franchising agency is responsible for expanding major chains including QDOBA and Five Guys.

Approximately 84.8 million American adults eat fast food at least once a day, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. That's a ton of fast-food burgers every single day! But American customers are looking for healthier, more sustainable options, and the fast food market is adapting to a customer base that's hungry for plant-based options. Major brands such as McDonald's and Burger King have introduced fully plant-based alternatives to their beloved menu items such as the Impossible Whopper.

Even though meat and dairy products only provide 18 percent of the world's calories, these foods require 83 percent of the total global farmland. And now, customers are looking for more sustainable options than ever before, especially among younger consumers. Right now, about 87.5 percent of Gen Z consumers are worried about the environment, motivating them to choose a plant-based burger over a conventional beef burger. Overall, the vegan fast food market is expected to reach $40 billion by 2028.

For more delicious plant-based fare, visit The Beet's Find Vegan Near Me articles. 

Fast-food restaurants have finally got the memo that their customer base isn’t just coming through for a burger, fried chicken, or a beef taco. Many now have plant-based foods and are coming up with creative, delicious ways to get more greens on the menu. Here are the 6 best fast-food chains with plant-based options on the menu.

Turns out there’s a lot more to rely on than a salad if you’re eating plant-based. Burger King has the Impossible Whopper featuring a meatless patty as well as a few secretly vegan options such as the French Toast Sticks and Hashbrowns.

Known for its mini square-shaped sliders, this hamburger chain jumped on the plant-based bandwagon at some participating locations. You can find an Impossible Slider on some White Castle menus.

This was the first national Mexican fast-food chain to offer Beyond Meat at the company’s 580 restaurants across the country. Del Taco has the Beyond Avocado Taco on the menu along with the Epic Beyond Original Mex Burrito and Avocado Veggie Bowl.

Another brand synonymous with beef burgers, Carl’s Jr. offers several plant-based options for veggie and plant lover such as Beyond Famous Star Burger and Guacamole Thickburger.

This fast-food restaurant may have been one of the first you frequented while transitioning to plant-based eating. That’s because Taco Bell has eight million vegetarian combinations and sells 350 million vegetarian items a year through menu substitutions or ordering off their vegetarian menu. In fact, they were the first quick-service restaurant to offer American Vegetarian Association (AVA) certified food options.

From the time it started offering breakfast sandwiches in 2006, the coffee conglomerate became a competitor in the fast-food space. You can get your favorite hot and cold beverages made with almond, coconut or oat milk but there are also plant-based food options available such as the Baja Black Bean Veggie Wrap, bagel with vegan cream cheese and Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.