The Fast Food Burger That's Meat-Free But Not Necessarily Vegan-Friendly

Since 2016, the Impossible Burger (an engineered patty that looks and tastes like real meat but contains none) has been one of the flagship plant-based meat alternatives on the market. When Burger King started offering the Impossible Whopper using these patties in 2019, the vision was clear: the classic Whopper but suitable for vegetarians and vegans. However, due to factors such as unfavorable means of product testing and a lack of designated cooking surfaces, the Impossible Burger still doesn't cut the mustard for some vegans.

Burger King's Impossible Whopper patties are cooked by default on the same broilers as beef patties. This can be seen as contamination to some strict vegans. For many, the animal testing on lab rats that Impossible Foods used to approve its products for foreign markets in 2019 also disqualifies the brand from being truly vegan.

Beef contamination of Impossible Whopper patties can also have serious consequences for those with severe alpha-gal syndrome (also known as a red meat allergy), which usually develops after bites from certain ticks. At first, Impossible Whoppers may seem suitable for sufferers of the syndrome who are advised to avoid eating animal meats, but even cooking on the same surface as beef can be enough to trigger an allergic reaction in some cases.

In 1949, then vice president of the Vegan Society, Leslie J Cross, defined veganism as "the principle of the emancipation of animals from exploitation by man" (per Plant Based News). This ideological framework aims to eliminate harm to animals in the foods we consume and products we purchase to the greatest extent possible. Therefore, vegans differ from vegetarians, who might still consume eggs or dairy. In reality, this often means making concessions in cases where animal exploitation is difficult or impossible to avoid. As a result, one vegan's definition of (and relationship with) veganism can differ from another's.

Some vegans see Burger King's beef contamination as a redundant appeal to the vegan consumer base, while others see it as better accessibility to appealing plant-based foods for the general population. Opinions online are divided, with one Reddit user explaining, "I see no reason that something cooked on a grill with animal products means it can't be vegan. This does not create demand for animal products, require the killing of animals, or have any moral inconsistencies with veganism."

Another user outlines a thought process against contamination, saying the aversion is less an ethical problem with veganism or a judgment on others but rather a personal dilemma. "For me, i would feel immoral and ... kinda grossed out with myself... for having the oils of a dead cow potentially season my food. and be in my body."

Is an Impossible Whopper literally impossible for those who want a burger free of any harm to animals? If the animal testing Impossible Foods has used in the past means its meat alternatives don't align with your idea of veganism, then the Impossible Whopper would be a non-starter. However, there are certainly other fast food chains with vegetarian and vegan options for you to explore. Alternatively, using different brands of meatless ground beef to cook your own burgers at home can give you full control over what you eat.

If beef contamination from sharing a broiler is the deal-breaker for you, you can request that your Impossible patty be cooked in a microwave. In some cases, staff may be willing to clean the broiler before cooking your patty on it, but this will depend on the Burger King branch and the staff there.

Aside from burgers, it's also worth considering Burger King's fries, which are vegan by themselves but can be contaminated by sharing a fryer with non-vegan items. So, if you're a vegan stranded on a desert island, and the only source of food is a fully operational Burger King, you may be in luck — depending on your personal relationship with veganism and its goals.