Vegan American
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American casual dining is the broadest cuisine bucket we cover, ranging from burger chains to family restaurants to fast-casual. The vegan ceiling varies hugely by chain: a fast-casual like Sweetgreen is built for vegans, a steakhouse is built against them. The reliable pattern across the category: vegetables, breads (sometimes), fries (sometimes), and salads (with explicit no-cheese, no-bacon, no-ranch specifications) form a baseline meal at almost every American casual restaurant. Plant-based proteins like Impossible and Beyond have penetrated the major chains over the last five years but are still a market-by-market lottery.

Dairy and egg trapsCheese is everywhere on American menus - it defaults onto burgers, salads, sandwiches, nachos, and side dishes. Butter is the second invisible dairy: mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables (often brushed with butter), and toast are common butter carriers. Ranch and blue cheese as default salad dressings. The egg is the third trap: brioche buns, several breads, breaded items (chicken-style apps), and many house sauces. Honey shows up in glazed vegetables, BBQ blends, and certain bread recipes.

What tends to clearBurgers with plant-based patties (where stocked) on vegan buns, no cheese, with mustard or BBQ instead of mayo. Side salads built cheese-off, crouton-off, with oil and vinegar or a flagged-vegan vinaigrette. Roasted or steamed vegetables when the kitchen will skip the butter. Fries when the fryer is dedicated (not always - ask). Black bean and lentil-based items where they exist. The American casual category rewards a clear, specific order script more than any other cuisine we cover.