So we’ve chatted about reasons #1 and #2: cheese and bacon, their vegan alternatives, and how people are switching to vegan so much easier nowadays than even 5 years ago.
Reason #3: It’s not convenient. What if I need to grab something from a fast food joint? Is what I’ll be rambling about today.
Full-service restaurants now more than ever are aware of the growing trend in veganism and are supporting it on their menu and helping to train their staff in understanding vegan lifestyles.
I can’t even count the number of times I have asked if a menu item was vegan and gotten the response “It’s gluten-free.” Well that’s not even relevant. However I am happy to report that this issue is becoming less and less and gluten-free living has become more mainstream. Thank you restaurants for keeping your staff up to date on dietary needs, restrictions, and/or preferences.
I LOVE x billion going to a restaurant where the items are labeled with little icons. It saves me, the staff, the kitchen and everyone involved a lot of time. Australia as a country was great at this! Although any establishment that makes an effort is wonderful.
Back to the point at hand—so full-service restaurants are on-boarding and over the past year I am very happy to report that fast-service/fast-food joints are joining the party! And not just one-off, mom-and-pop type establishments. Big chains are here to play too!
This past summer on July 9, 2018, while we were in British Columbia, A&W released The Beyond Burger nationwide, and you betcha we were knew what we were having for lunch that day. With a cold mug of their famous root beer, we sat down to try the newest addition to their burger family. One bite, two bites. I asked LeBraun to look at it then went up to ask the staff if this was in fact The Beyond Burger. I was 99% sure they messed up the order, and the lady laughed and said I was the third person that day to ask them that question. I honestly questioned whether I was eating a traditional beef patty (and even the next couple times) because The Beyond Burger is just that crazy good!! They’ve even engineered it to “bleed” per se with the addition of beets for coloring. I was instantly hooked!
Then I heard about another plant-based burger going mainstream—The Impossible Burger. Now the release of the original Impossible Burger was followed by outcry from vegans world-wide as it was made public that some of their ingredients were tested on animals. Obviously not savvy for hardcore, vegan for the love of animals spectrum. However if you are a vegetarian or simply enjoying plant-based eating without vegan motives then you can still enjoy this burger without outrage as approximately 47% of NIH-funded research involves animal testing (according to PETA).
At any rate, this isn’t a post to force vegan opinions on anyone or rant about animal cruelty, it’s about sharing some exciting plant-based food innovations in the hopes that more options and wider availability of these types of products are in our near future.
This week at CES 2019 the Impossible Burger 2.0 was debuted and was the “undisputed winner” of the conference. “Journalists are still saying that the best technology of this year’s edition has been a vegan patty of fake meat (according to forbes.com)” That’s quite impressive if you ask me!
In fact in April 2018, White Castle, America’s first fast food chain, released The Impossible Burger sliders at 140 locations in New York, New Jersey and Illinois. Now locations all over the country carry the tiny plant-based patties.
The best part of faster chains offering a plant-based patty—CONVENIENCE! On road trips I no longer have to settle for a large fry or warm salad. I can enjoy a satisfying, filling meal without sacrificing flavor or dietary preferences.
I’ve read several places that “Plant-Based Burgers are the Biggest Trend in the Food Industry This Year” and I can’t wait to see the change that’s to follow. Seriously these burgers are damn good. I don't like to say damn a lot but this is the time for it. They’re damn good, even meat eaters will be surprised!
Now if I’m craving a quick bite or get that fast food craving, I’ve got options! Options that don’t make me take away items to make them vegan, items that are prepared with the plant-based lifestyle in mind. Oh what a time it is to be alive!
Disclaimer: Just because the burgers themselves are vegan, check with the restaurants to confirm that their preparation and adjustments fit vegan standards. I.e. Seasonings, their “spin” on the burger, or preparation practices may not meet vegan standards. I.E. you may have to remove the cheese or sauce, etc.
Major Chains That Offer The Beyond Burger:
A&W
Bareburger
BurgerFi
Carl’s Jr.
Del Taco.
Epic Burger
FreeB!rds World Burrito
TGI Fridays
Twin Peaks
and MORE!
For a full list of locations and retailers, check The Beyond Meat website.
The Beyond Burger is vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, GMO-free, and peanut/treenut-free.
Chains That Offer The Impossible Burger:
Apple Bee’s Grill & Bar
Bareburger
Bar Louie
Damn Good Burger Co.
Dave & Buster’s
Hard Rock Cafe
Houlihan’s
Top Golf
White Castle (For participating locations, check WhiteCastle.com)
and MORE!
For a full-list of locations and participating retailers, check The Impossible Foods website.
The Impossible Burger contains gluten, coconut oil, soy and heme.
More About These Innovative Products
Beyond Meat The Beyond Burger
Website Description: The Beyond Burger® is the world's first plant-based burger that looks, cooks, and tastes like a fresh beef burger. It has all the juicy, meat deliciousness of a traditional burger, but comes with the upsides of a plant-based meal.
The Beyond Burger is available for purchase in the meat section of more than 5,000 groceries nationwide including:
Kroger
Whole Foods
Wegmans
Giant
Stop & Shop
Safeway
Albertsons
QFC
Fred Meyer
And MORE!
Check their website for an updated, full list of retailers.
Impossible Foods The Impossible Burger
Website description: Impossible Burger cooks, smells and tastes like meat from cows, but is made directly from plants -- for people who love meat. Compared to the cow, Impossible Burger production uses a small fraction of the land and water resources and emits vastly fewer greenhouse gas emissions. It’s just plants doing the Impossible.
The Impossible Burger is coming to grocery stores nationwide in 2019, but is currently available at more than 5,000 restaurants across the US.
