By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

Serving mostly burgers and fries, Johnny Rockets is a fast casual chain located in the majority of U.S. states as well as many other countries. See here for all locations.

The VRG noticed that a picture of a Gardein Black Bean Burger is on the website menu. So we contacted Johnny Rockets to find out about the veggie burger option, including the bun it was served on as well as cooking prep protocol.

We tried contacting their PR firm and sent our questions to the website contact page.

We received a response from Chris Heaton, Franchise Operations Director at Johnny Rockets. He was very willing to assist and quite prompt with his replies. This is what we discovered when we asked about their vegan menu options.

“…[W]e cook all of our products on the same flat top grill and fryolators. So beef, chicken, or turkey protein could be still present. We do not have separate equipment to cook our vegetarian options due to our current kitchen and equipment layout. If you would like me to look further into your questions with knowing that, please do let me know.”

We then asked if it were possible to get a vegan burger microwaved or request a sanitized grill surface and clean kitchen tools.

Chris replied: “Unfortunately our restaurants are not equipped with microwaves.

To ensure no previous protein is present we would need to use cleaner and during operational hours, that would potentially stop all production in the kitchen with the majority of our kitchens only having one flat top grill.

I do apologize that I didn’t have better news, but I certainly want to be sure you are safe with your food. If there is a specific location you are inquiring to visit, I certainly can connect you with the general manager to see if they have a recommendation for you.”

At this point, The VRG replied by presenting a hypothetical situation:

“So if I were in a party with non-vegans, which could happen, I could opt for veggies + avocado on a bun? Better than just sitting there with nothing. So I’d like to know if your buns are made with L-cysteine dough conditioner. And, if so, what’s the source of it?”

Chris responded to our question with a question: “Which location were you planning on attending? The reason I ask, is some locations utilize a local bakery for certain breads.”

We then stated: “We live close to the Inner Harbor (Baltimore) but sometimes travel for business. Good to know to ask when dining out.

Any guidance on what the Johnny Rockets suppliers use as the default would be helpful.”

Chris then wrote to us that he had passed on our questions to the “Chef and Supply Chain” who replied directly to our questions:

VRG: Do either the Gardein or Boca contain dairy-derived or egg-derived ingredients like sodium caseinate or albumin?

Johnny Rockets: No.

VRG: Buns: Your hoagie roll, sourdough, regular, and wheat buns have no egg, no dairy. Correct?

Johnny Rockets: The wheat bun is manufactured on a line that handles product with milk, otherwise all our buns are egg- & dairy-free.

VRG: Do any of the buns contain L-cysteine (a common dough conditioner)? If so, is your source for the L-cysteine duck feathers or human hair? These are the most common sources for L-cysteine.

Johnny Rockets: No.

VRG Recommendation for Vegans at Johnny Rockets

We got the impression from Johnny Rockets that they are sincere in their efforts to cater to vegans. The chain at least has vegan burgers on its menu by comparison with several other chains that don’t.

In our experience, when enough customers request a change for better accommodation as vegans, management listens.

So The VRG encourages you to request (politely) that a microwave be available or that a section of the grill be easily sanitized to avoid cross contact with meat products.

If you are ever in a Johnny Rockets restaurant, requested a microwaved burger or one prepped on a sanitized surface and received one, please let us know. We’d be happy to add it to this article for other future vegan diners at Johnny Rockets. The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

For information on other chains, visit https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.htm

For info vegetarian/vegan restaurants, visit https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.htm