The quarter-pound Beyond Burger patty comes with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, dill pickles, special sauce and mayonnaise on a seeded bun. A nutritional breakdown on Carl Jr.’s website said that the sandwich is 710 calories with 40 grams of fat. It has a total of 30 grams of protein, with 20 grams coming from the patty.
Little Caesars
Outside the world of burgers and sandwiches, Little Caesars said in May it was testing plant-based spicy-sweet sausage on its new Impossible Supreme pizza in Ft. Meyers, Fla.; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Yakima, Wash. The sausage, by Impossible Foods, is made from plants, caramelized onions, mushrooms and green peppers. It has no cholesterol, 17 grams of protein and is 270 calories per quarter-pound serving.
The company said it began working with Impossible Foods to create a pizza topping earlier in 2019.
Qdoba
Following a product test in Michigan, Qdoba announced in April it was adding plant-based protein to 730 locations across the country. A news release for the restaurant said it would be the largest Mexican fast-casual chain to serve the protein from Impossible Foods.
The plant-based protein, which Qdoba said tastes and cooks like beef, is seasoned in the restaurant. Patrons can try it in a Qdoba Impossible Bowl or in a Qdoba Impossible Taco.
Not everyone is ready to go meatless
While some chains are embracing the plant-based trend, others are still thinking it through.
Arby’s, whose tag line is “We Have the Meats,” is heading in the opposite direction — last month it cheekily unveiled a carrot made from turkey, which it called the “marrot.” It’s unclear if the product will ever reach the menu.
And what about that fried chicken sandwich war that’s been dominating social media this month? Would we ever see Chick-fil-A and Popeyes duke it out over a vegetarian option?
At least one of those companies says it’s not likely any time soon. But Jackie Jags, a spokeswoman for Chick-fil-A, said its culinary team is always exploring new trends and menu offerings. “We are still in the early phases of evaluating if this is the right fit for our menu,” she said.
