All The Hooters Vegan Menu Options
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While Hooters is certainly known for having great food, that’s not what comes to most people’s minds when they hear about the restaurant. Be that as it may, our focus is indeed on the food, as we set out to learn whether Hooters offers vegan-friendly menu items.
We appreciate the fact that more restaurants are trying to cater to vegans, so it will be interesting to see if we can add Hooters to the list, as well.
Here is a quick overview of your Hooters vegan options:
| Menu Item | Type of Dish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Balsamic Vinaigrette | Dressing | |
| Big Dipper Fries | Side | |
| Curly Fries | Side | |
| Garden Salad | Salad | No cheese or croutons |
| Green Chiles | Side | |
| Impossible Burger | Entree | Select locations |
| Jalapenos | Side | |
| Lime Vinaigrette | Dressing | |
| Lite Italian | Dressing | Generally vegan at most locations |
| Lite Ranch | Dressing | Generally vegan at most locations |
| Mixed Vegetables | Side | |
| Roasted Broccoli | Side | |
| Samurai Wing Sauce | Sauce | |
| Taco Salad | Salad | No meat or cheese |
| Tater Tots | Side | |
| Teriyaki Wing Sauce | Sauce | |
| Three Mile Island Wing Sauce | Sauce | |
| Tortilla Chips | Side | No queso |
What Is Hooters?
Hooters quickly gained popularity (and critique) after opening its doors in 1983. Aside from its food, the primary attraction of Hooters is its scantily clad waitresses. Indeed, the restaurant thrives on sex appeal, which has often been at the center of Hooters’ negative press.
Still, Hooters does offer a more laid-back atmosphere in which staff is actually encouraged to entertain and joke around with patrons. So if you’re looking for something different in your dining ventures, Hooters will certainly provide you with a unique experience.
And let’s not dismiss the food. Hooters offers an assortment of menu items that include burgers, seafood, steaks, and more. But are there vegan offerings? Let’s move on to find out.
Hooters Vegan Appetizers
Hooters began introducing “meatless” wings in 2020. Known as Unreal Wings, they taste like chicken but contain no traces of meat. Another similar appetizer that Hooters recently rolled out is Quorn Boneless Vegetarian Wings.
While these items are both vegetarian-only, there is talk of offering pro-vegan versions of both. Allegedly, Hooters is testing them right now, so vegan versions may be available by the time you read this.
Thanks to a partnership with Quorn, there’s a good chance that we will see vegan creations if the above two menu items prove to be a hit with customers.
There’s also Fried Pickles and a slew of salads on the menu. But we’ll cover the greens at Hooters in a moment. It’s important to note that the Fried Pickles may only be vegan at certain locations. This is because Hooters says some of its restaurants use eggs in their batter.
However, Hooters couldn’t identify which chains use what. Therefore, you’ll want to ask before you order Fried Pickles to determine whether it is vegan or just vegetarian.
Entrees and Main Courses for Vegans at Hooters
As far as main courses are concerned, Hooters doesn’t have a whole lot for vegans to choose from. However, one could combine various vegan menu items and create a customized meal. For example, you could order a Taco Salad, fries, and broccoli.
We will discuss the sides in greater detail momentarily. But you get the general idea. Hooters’ vegan-friendly menu items are limited, sure. But there’s actually a lot more here than other restaurants we’ve reviewed (we’re looking at you, Smashburger).
Another Hooters favorite is its Veggie Burger. As it stands right now, there are eggs in the ingredients. However, Hooters is supposed to be testing a pro-vegan version of the Veggie Burger, as well. So you may see it at your nearest Hooters sometime in the near future.
Hooters Vegan Sides
Hooters has a respectable amount of vegan sides. Use these to your advantage, as you can get plenty full with what they have to offer.
For instance, Hooters offers pro-vegan sides like Big Dipper Fries, Curly Fries, Roasted Broccoli, Tater Tots, and Roasted Mixed Vegetables. As such, you can order meatless wings and stock up on sides for a complete, vegan-friendly meal.
Salads and Sauces for Vegans at Hooters
The salads at Hooters are actually quite vegan-friendly, with a decent number of selections to choose from. When ordering salads, be sure to request them without meats, cheese, bacon bits, or croutons.
You can also order vegan dressings so that you don’t interfere with your diet. Your options include:
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Lime Vinaigrette
- Lite Italian
- Lite Ranch
Another pro-vegan salad at Hooters is the Taco Salad, as it consists of:
- Fresh guacamole
- Iceberg lettuce
- Pico de Gallo
- Cabbage
- Cilantro
The Taco Salad comes with a tangy lime vinaigrette and tortilla chips. Pico de Gallo further improves the Taco Salad thanks to a combination of tomato, serrano peppers, onion, lime juice, and salt.
As far as sauces are concerned, the only vegan option is Hooters’ Teriyaki Wing Sauce. Order this with meatless wings to complete your appetizer or meal.
Hooters Vegan Menu FAQs
As of this writing, the Veggie Burger is strictly vegetarian only. Because the Veggie Burger’s ingredients contain eggs, the sandwich is disqualified as a vegan-friendly option. With that said, there’s been ongoing discussion to roll out a vegan version of the Veggie Burger.
If reports are correct and Hooters is currently testing a vegan burger, there’s a good chance that it will show up on the menu relatively soon.
According to Hooters, some of its restaurants use batter with eggs while others do not. As such, you may be able to get vegan Fried Pickles at certain locations. As always, it’s best to ask first, so you know what you’re ordering.
Keep in mind that most batter contains eggs, so the likelihood of Hooters’ Fried Pickles begin vegan in your area might be pretty slim.
Yes. However, its availability is limited from location to location. If your nearest Hooters carries Chili, you can order it without broth and meat to make it a vegan meal.
Is Hooters a Good Choice for Vegans?
It’s certainly better than other restaurants, but Hooters’ selection is still rather limited. If their partnership with Quorn takes off, it’s very likely that Hooters will start offering a lot more vegan menu items.
Presently, it appears that Hooters is still in the testing phase to see how vegan foods do in its restaurants. Given the growing demand for vegan-friendly options, we’re hopeful that Hooters will be successful.
If you’re interested in learning about even more vegan-friendly restaurants and foods, be sure to check out our info page.
