McDonald’s Allergen Menu: Allergen Chart and Safe Picks for Every Allergy
McDonald’s USA lists nine major allergens, and its current menu items contain six of them: milk, wheat, soy, egg, sesame and fish. This allergen guide puts McDonald’s own allergen data for 157 menu items and sizes into one chart, then lists what you can order without milk, wheat, egg, soy or sesame, and how to lower the risk of cross-contact when you order.
McDonald’s Allergen Chart
This chart shows which of the six allergens McDonald’s lists for its most-ordered items. A dot means the item contains that allergen as an ingredient.
| Item | Milk | Egg | Wheat | Soy | Sesame | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Mac | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | – |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | ● | – | ● | ● | ● | – |
| McDouble | ● | – | ● | ● | – | – |
| Hamburger | – | – | ● | – | – | – |
| Cheeseburger | ● | – | ● | ● | – | – |
| McChicken | – | ● | ● | – | – | – |
| McCrispy | ● | – | ● | – | – | – |
| Filet-O-Fish | ● | ● | ● | ● | – | ● |
| Chicken McNuggets | – | – | ● | – | – | – |
| World Famous Fries | ● | – | ● | – | – | – |
| Hash Browns | ● | – | ● | – | – | – |
| Egg McMuffin | ● | ● | ● | ● | – | – |
| Sausage McMuffin | ● | – | ● | ● | – | – |
| Hotcakes | ● | ● | ● | ● | – | – |
| Fruit & Maple Oatmeal | ● | – | – | – | – | – |
| Apple Slices | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Baked Apple Pie | – | – | ● | – | – | – |
| McFlurry with OREO Cookies | ● | – | ● | ● | – | – |
| Vanilla Cone | ● | – | ● | – | – | – |
| Vanilla Shake | ● | – | – | – | – | – |
From McDonald’s USA allergen information for standard recipes. Customizations, limited-time items and shared equipment can change what’s in your order.
Dairy-Free Items at McDonald’s
Milk is the most common allergen at McDonald’s because of cheese, butter on breakfast sandwiches and the milk in fries and Hash Browns. Chicken McNuggets, the Hamburger, the McChicken and the McCrispy Strips are listed without milk.
- Chicken McNuggets
- McChicken
- Bagel (Plain)
- Hamburger
- Deluxe McCrispy
- Spicy McCrispy
- Spicy Deluxe McCrispy
- McCrispy Strips
- Apple Slices
- Baked Apple Pie
Ordering a burger “no cheese” removes the cheese but not other milk ingredients, so check the chart for the base item. Our McNuggets guide covers sizes and sauces.
Is Anything Gluten-Free at McDonald’s?
McDonald’s USA doesn’t offer gluten-free buns or label any item gluten-free. Every sandwich, the McNuggets, the fries and the Hash Browns contain wheat. Items listed without wheat are mostly desserts, drinks and sauces.
| Listed without wheat | Note |
|---|---|
| Fruit & Maple Oatmeal | Contains milk |
| Apple Slices | No listed allergens |
| McFlurry with M&M'S Candies | Contains milk |
| Chocolate Shake | Contains milk |
| Vanilla Shake | Contains milk |
| Strawberry Shake | Contains milk |
| Hot Fudge Sundae | Contains milk |
| Hot Caramel Sundae | Contains milk |
Wheat-free on paper isn’t the same as safe for celiac disease: fryers, toasters and prep surfaces are shared, so cross-contact with wheat is likely.
Egg-Free Items at McDonald’s
Egg shows up in the obvious places, such as breakfast sandwiches and hotcakes, and in mayonnaise-style sauces on the McChicken, Big Mac and McCrispy sandwiches.
| Category | Listed without egg |
|---|---|
| Burgers | Quarter Pounder with Cheese, McDouble, Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger, Hamburger |
| Chicken | Chicken McNuggets, McCrispy, McCrispy Strips |
| Breakfast | Sausage Biscuit, Sausage McMuffin, Hash Browns, Sausage McGriddles, Bagel (Plain), Fruit & Maple Oatmeal |
| Sides | World Famous Fries, Apple Slices |
| Desserts | McFlurry with OREO Cookies, McFlurry with M&M'S Candies, Vanilla Cone, Chocolate Shake, Vanilla Shake, Strawberry Shake, Hot Fudge Sundae, Hot Caramel Sundae, Baked Apple Pie |
The Big Mac contains egg from Big Mac Sauce; ordering it without sauce removes that source.
Soy and Sesame at McDonald’s
Soy is in 43 menu items and sizes, mostly through cheese, buns and breakfast items. Sesame is limited to the sesame-seed bun and one dip.
| Allergen | Where it appears | Common items without it |
|---|---|---|
| Soy | Cheese, many buns, biscuits, McGriddles cakes, some sauces | McNuggets, McChicken, Hamburger, fries, McCrispy Strips |
| Sesame | Big Mac, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe, Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Creamy Chili McCrispy Strip Dip | Every other burger and all chicken sandwiches |
McDonald’s cooking oil is a blend that includes soybean oil; highly refined soybean oil isn’t treated as a major allergen under US labeling rules.
Fish, Shellfish, Peanuts and Tree Nuts
The Filet-O-Fish is the only item with fish (Alaska pollock), and no current item lists shellfish, peanuts or tree nuts as an ingredient.
- Fish: the Filet-O-Fish fillet; see our Filet-O-Fish guide.
- Peanuts and tree nuts: not listed as ingredients, but candy and cookie toppings used in desserts are made by outside suppliers, so ask before ordering a McFlurry with a nut allergy.
- Shellfish: not on the US menu.
What Allergens Are in McDonald’s Fries?
McDonald’s fries in the US contain wheat and milk. Both come from the natural beef flavor added to the potatoes before they’re shipped to restaurants, so the fries aren’t vegan, dairy-free or gluten-free.
| Item | Allergens | Why |
|---|---|---|
| World Famous Fries (all sizes) | Wheat, Milk | Natural beef flavor made with wheat and milk derivatives |
| Hash Browns | Wheat, Milk | Same natural beef flavor |
| Apple Slices | None listed | The only side with no listed allergens |
Sizes and calories are on our fries guide and Hash Browns page.
McDonald’s Sauce Allergens
Sauces are an easy place to miss an allergen: Creamy Ranch and Spicy Buffalo contain milk, Honey Mustard and mayonnaise contain egg, and Tangy BBQ and Sweet ‘N Sour contain wheat and soy.
| Sauce or packet | Allergens |
|---|---|
| Creamy Chili McCrispy Strip Dip | Egg, Sesame, Soy, Wheat |
| Tangy Barbeque Sauce | Soy, Wheat |
| Spicy Buffalo Sauce | Milk |
| Creamy Ranch Sauce | Milk |
| Honey Mustard Sauce | Egg |
| Sweet 'N Sour Sauce | Soy, Wheat |
| Ketchup Packet | None listed |
| Mayonnaise Packet | Egg |
| Mustard Packet | None listed |
| Honey | None listed |
See every flavor and price in our McDonald’s sauces guide.
How to Order Safely With a Food Allergy
McDonald’s can’t guarantee any item is allergen-free, because food is prepared in shared kitchens.
- Check the item before you order in the McDonald’s app, which shows ingredients and allergens for each menu item.
- Tell the crew about the allergy when you order, not just “no cheese.”
- Remove the ingredient, not just the topping: skip sauces, cheese and butter where they’re the source.
- Watch for limited-time items; new recipes can add allergens. Our new items tracker lists what’s new.
- Check your order before eating, and skip it if anything looks wrong.
For calories, sodium and protein, see our nutrition and calories guide.
McDonald’s Allergen FAQ
Are McDonald's fries dairy-free?
No. In the US they contain milk and wheat from the natural beef flavor.
Does McDonald's have gluten-free food?
McDonald's USA has no gluten-free buns or certified gluten-free items. Apple Slices list no allergens, but shared kitchens mean cross-contact is possible.
Do Chicken McNuggets contain dairy or egg?
No. McDonald's lists wheat as the only major allergen in Chicken McNuggets.
Does McDonald's use peanut oil?
No. Its cooking oil is a vegetable blend that includes canola, corn and soybean oil.
Which McDonald's items contain sesame?
The Big Mac and the Quarter Pounder with Cheese burgers on sesame-seed buns, plus the Creamy Chili McCrispy Strip Dip.
How We Checked This Page
- Allergens: McDonald’s USA allergen and ingredient information for each item and size
- Cooking oil and fries: McDonald’s USA ingredient statements
Menu Facts USA is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by McDonald’s Corporation. Big Mac, McNuggets, McCrispy, McFlurry and related names are trademarks of McDonald’s. If you have a food allergy, confirm ingredients with your restaurant before ordering.
