Burger King’s Impossible Whopper Is “Just the Beginning” of Their Plant-Based Options

Burger King was one of the first major fast-food chains to launch a meat-free patty in 2019, with the Impossible Whopper sparking buzz and curiosity across the country. While the sandwich is only vegan if you made sure to have the restaurant hold the cheese, mayonnaise, and microwave the patty rather than cooking it on the grill (to avoid cross-contact with real meat patties), the hype was real, with customers rushing to see if it mimicked the real thing.

After releasing fourth-quarter earnings this week, Burger King CEO Jose Cil told Yahoo Finance, “I think [the Impossible Whopper is] just the beginning. [Plant-based is] a brand new category, it’s a category we are leading not just in the U.S. but globally, and we think there is a lot of work to do still in terms of raising awareness, what are the benefits of it and then being able to offer some different products as well as occasions so that the consumer could expand their knowledge of the product. We are all in.”

The company even added the burger to their 2 for $6 sandwich deal, essentially slashing the price of the item in half. Cil explained, “We felt introducing it in the two for $6 gave us the opportunity to make it accessible to a broader group of consumers. That overtime will help us build on plant-based as a core element of our business long-term.”

Although the feedback from the Impossible Whopper has been overwhelmingly positive, there was some controversy surrounding the accuracy of calling these burgers plant-based or lumping them in the same category as vegan items (One customer sued BK for not disclosing the grill's cross-contact hazards). While it is true that these faux-meat patties need to be modified to be vegan, they're a great way to get a conversation surrounding plant-based products started with a more mainstream audience.

Along with the burger, BK has also introduced an Impossible Croissan'wich to a select number of stores across the country. This breakfast sandwich features Impossible Foods' plant-based "pork" sausage, egg, and cheese on a croissant. While the bread contains milk, and the egg and cheese are not suitable for vegans, we still appreciate that the brand has taken steps to help people cut down on their meat intake.

We can't wait to see what else Burger King will introduce this coming year, and have our fingers crossed for more items that are appealing to non-vegans as well as suitable for vegans.