Shake Shack is testing out a new veggie burger, like, a real one—not just another cheesy fried portobello mushroom. The Veggie Shack features a patty made of black beans, brown rice, and beets topped with provolone cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, and vegan mustard mayo. All of this is of course layered on the brand’s signature potato roll.
You can order the Veggie Shack in NYC at the Upper East Side, Astor Place, and Midtown East locations; in LA at the West Hollywood and Glendale locations; and in Austin at the Domain location.
You can order the Veggie Shack today for a limited time at select locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and Austin.
Unlike their other vegetarian option, the ‘Shroom Burger, this new Shake Shack veggie burger is much more burger like with an actual patty, and much, much lighter. You can also make it completely vegan by getting it sans cheese and with a gluten-free bun (heads up, the regular buns have a bit of dairy added).
If it seems like vegetarian and vegan fast food options have been on the rise, you’re not wrong. Just last week, White Castle launched new sliders featuring the famous “bleeding” Impossible Burger and last year, Amy’s Drive Thru, a vegetarian fast-food place in California, announced plans to expand. It’s a smart move in 2018—sales of plant-based food in the US increased by 8.1 percent in 2017, according to Nielsen for the Plant Based Foods Association and Good Food Institute. Not to mention, according to Allied Market Research, global meat substitutes are expected to rake in $5.2 billion by 2020 (that’s a lot, like an annual 8 percent growth rate).
Shake Shack’s culinary director, Mark Rosati, told Bon Appetit that the restaurant has always focused on being a “community gathering place,” hence the reason for the OG ‘Shroom Burger, which invites non-meat eaters to the table for more than just a side of fries.
“This new veggie option is on the lighter [end of] the spectrum but is still fun, and now if you’re a vegan coming out with your friends and they’re eating burgers, you can be part of that experience,” he said.
Of course, veggie burgers don’t have to appeal to just vegetarians and vegans, though. Yes, Shake Shack’s loyal fans can continue to order their classic juicy double Shake Burger, but on #MeatlessMonday, post-SoulCycle, or heck, even just because, this lighter veggie option sounds like a solid move.