Last year was the year of plant-based versions of fast food classics like theDunkin'breakfast sandwich and so many different types of vegan-friendly burgers. It's no surprise that 2020 is already kicking off with more meatless options, but the newBurger Kingsoy-based patty is actuallynota suitable option for vegans because of how it's prepared.
The new Rebel Whopper is only available in the United Kingdom as of now, and includes a soy patty. One would think that this makes it totally A-okay for vegan fast food lovers, but unfortunately, the patty is grilled on the same surface as the meat patties. This makes it a no-go for those who follow strict vegan diets because of the cross contamination.
The sandwich also comes dressed with mayonnaise as reported by theBBC, which is also non-vegan since it's made with eggs. Burger King's marketing director, Katie Evans, told the outlet that the Rebel Whopper was aimed at "flexitarians" and its cooked on the same surface as beef patties to give it the signature "flame-grilled" taste.
Many individuals on Twitter heard of this new plant-based burger that is not actually vegan, and thought it was pretty ridiculous. I would think it's already a bit of a challenge to find completelyvegan options at fast foodchains, so Burger King missed an opportunity to help solve that problem for people who follow plant-based diets.
Others thought that even though the Rebel Whopper is not edible for vegetarians or vegans, it is still a viable option for people wanting to test out a plant-based lifestyle or those that are just trying to limit their meat intake.
Burger King did tell BBC that its veggie bean patty burger and the vegetarian option on the kids menu are cooked separate from meat products, so there's at that. A for effort, at the very least.