Kate Taylor/Business Insider
- Burger King is rolling out the plant-based Impossible Whopper at locations across the US by the end of 2019.
- Executives say that the meatless Impossible Whopper is almost impossible to distinguish from the original Whopper.
- We tried both the Impossible Whopper and the original Whopper — and we could definitely tell the difference.
- However, that isn’t necessarily bad news for Burger King, as the Impossible Whopper is a quality burger in its own right.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Burger King’s Impossible Whopper is set to take over America. But, can it compete with the real thing?
In late April, Burger King announced plans to roll out the plant-based Impossible Whopper nationally, after a short test in St. Louis.
Restaurant Brands International CEO José Cil told Business Insider on Wednesday that the test sparked positive response more quickly than the chain anticipated, with both new and loyal customers ordering the Impossible Whopper.
"We’re not doing this for a quick pop," Cil said. "We think this is a new category that we can build on for the long haul. We think that plant-based burgers and other products will continue to be part of our business for the long term."
In late April, Cil told investors that he found it "really difficult to distinguish between the Impossible Whopper and the original Whopper." With the chain hoping to win over loyal customers and meat eaters with the new menu item, the similarities between the original and the Impossible Whopper are a major selling point for Burger King.
This week, Business Insider decided to put Cil’s review to the test at Restaurant Brands International’s Investor Day in New York City. The company was serving both the Impossible Whopper and the original Whopper, so we decided to try each.
Here is how the Impossible Whopper actually measures up to the real thing:
At first glance, a veteran Burger King customer could tell the difference between the Impossible Whopper and the original Whopper.
Kate Taylor/Business Insider
Side by side, it is clear that the original has a more mulchy, uneven texture, while the Impossible Whopper is more smooth and uniform — a common tell in plant-based burgers.
Kate Taylor/Business Insider
In terms of size and toppings, however, the two burgers are remarkably similar. Had I simply started devouring my burger instead of taking a peek inside the patty first, I may not have noticed the difference.
Kate Taylor/Business Insider
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- Taco Bell is opening a Taco Bell-themed hotel
- Tim Hortons is testing Beyond Meat breakfast sandwiches, after sister-chain Burger King pledges to take meat-substitute rival Impossible Foods across America
- Plant-based ‘meat’ is conquering fast food. Here’s where you can get meat substitutes like the Beyond Burger and the Impossible Taco.
SEE ALSO: 18 fast-food menu items that customers are begging chains to bring back
Source: Business Insider – ktaylor@businessinsider.com (Kate Taylor)