One in Four Long Chicken Orders at Burger King Is Plant-Based
Burger King Germany says roughly one in four Long Chickens and one in five Whoppers it sells are ordered with a plant-based patty, the same shares it reported in 2023. Tim Lenke, who leads product development at the chain, gave the figures in a September 18 interview with vegconomist about the newest patty in the plant-based lineup. That patty, a plant-based Crispy Chicken developed with The Vegetarian Butcher, arrived on September 15, and the company says every burger patty it sells now has a plant-based version. The two companies have partnered on meat alternatives for German fast food since 2019.
One of the development problems was visual. Burger King Germany has flecked the breading of its plant-based chicken with green parsley since early 2023 so kitchen crews can tell it apart at a glance during a rush and guests can see they received what they ordered. The new patty's extra-crispy coating burned the parsley during frying tests. Pumpkin seed pieces got the job instead, because they stay visible after frying and leave taste and crunch alone, according to Lenke and Anja Alpert, Country Business Lead DACH at The Vegetarian Butcher Collective. The team also changed the patty's shape so it stands out from the chicken patty in the restaurant.
In the interview, Lenke spelled out what "plant-based" covers on Burger King's menu. The label means the meat component has been replaced, and whether the full burger is plant-based depends on the cheese and sauces. The patty debuts in two limited builds, Tandoori Style and Butter Chicken Style, both on a Sweet Curry Paratha Style bun. The chain's press release singles out a third option, the standalone Plant-based Crispy Chicken Burger, as the one made with no animal ingredients at all.
For founders pitching chains, Alpert described the bar a foodservice product has to clear. It has to fit into existing kitchen routines, deliver the same result in thousands of restaurants, and hold up at peak hours, while retail products get cooked at home under very different conditions. In Alpert's account, the two channels feed each other, with restaurants often serving as the place people first try plant-based meat and retail carrying it into everyday meals.
The patty is on the menu for a limited time at participating German restaurants. If it outlasts the promotion, the next figure to watch is its own plant-based share, and whether it lands closer to the Long Chicken's one in four or the Whopper's one in five.
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