Burger King and McDonald's (MCD) are not one and two in the United States burger wars anymore.
Wendy's (WEN) actually lays claim to the second spot, but the Home of the Whopper and the Golden Arches have a legendary rivalry tracing back to their earliest days.
The Big Mac was an answer to The Whopper, and both chains have essentially traded haymakers as they try to innovate in search of fast food next winner.
That, of course, has led to a lot of flops from both companies.
Nobody misses the Arch Deluxe or the McDLT and few people want Burger King, a Restaurant Brands International (QSR) company, to bring back its veal parmesan, or its burrito-meets-Whopper Whopperito, not to mention the chain's dinner baskets or something called the Flame-Broiled Meatloaf.
It's an epic battle between giant brands that has now moved to a new arena — catering to people who don't eat meat.
Burger King has the Impossible Whopper and McDonald's has the McPlant. Neither are vegan products, at least in the U.S.
Now, however, Burger King has leaned into this market even heavier with its first-ever, vegan-only restaurant.
Burger King/JS
Burger King and McDonald's Aren't All That Vegan-Friendly
McDonald's has always struggled with serving vegan customers because its fries are neither vegan nor vegetarian. They're cooked in beef fat and contain dairy, according to World of Vegan.
Even the U.S. version of the McPlant doesn't count as vegan because it has cheese and mayonnaise. It's also not cooked in a contained area where it can fully avoid contamination, so, even omitting those toppings likely won't satisfy true vegans or anyone keeping kosher.
The overseas version of McPlant comes with vegan cheese and mayonnaise.
Burger King does slightly better, as the Impossible Whopper can be made vegan simply by omitting the mayo, although cross-contamination issues remain a concern.
"Burger King’s classic fries are made using vegetable oil and suit a vegan diet. This may be a pleasant surprise for vegan consumers," Healthline reported.
Burger King Goes Vegan (Sort Of)
In the U.S. both chains have really just dabbled in the meat-free market and neither has truly catered to vegans.
Impossible Whopper and McPlant, at least the American versions, seem aimed at meat-eaters who might want to eat less meat and people who choose to not eat, or limit meat consumption, who are not strict vegetarians or vegans.
Overseas. however, both chains have done more to cater to diverse diets, perhaps driven by local market demand.
Burger King has now leaned into that with a new restaurant concept (or maybe stunt) that's taking one location — and a prominent one — fully vegan, at least for a while.
"Starting March 14, Burger King in London will be serving up an entirely vegan menu at its flagship restaurant in Leicester Square until April 10. Why only a month? It's a pilot launch to help the chain assess whether to go meatless at other locations," Tasting Table reported.
The chain has done vegetarian-only before, at least for short times in individual restaurants, but this marks its first full-vegan experiment.
The eatery’s menu will feature Burger King’s iconic Plant-Based Whopper and Vegan Royale, as well as more than 15 new options, according to Plant-Based News.
"The new Plant-Based Bakon Double Cheeeze XL and Vegan Cheeeze & Bakon Royale are joining the menu, in what Burger King says is a 'fast-food first,'" it reports.
"Vegan hamburgers, cheeseburgers, nugget burgers, cheese bites, onion rings, ice cream, and fries will all be on offer, as well as Burger King’s recently launched Katsu sandwiches."
It's a bit of a publicity stunt, of course, but it's also an attempt for the chain to get ahead of what might be a growing curve.
That does not mean Burger King, or McDonald's for that matter, will go all-vegan or even offer truly vegan options in the U.S., but it does appear willing to at least explore ideas and push new boundaries.
A full-vegan Burger King may ultimately end up on a list next to the Whopperito.
But could also lead to ideas that become the next Whopper, or at least something like it.
