In a World of Fake Meat, Shake Shack's New Veggie Burger Stands Out With Actual Vegetables

The Veggie Shack is hitting restaurants nationwide, along with vegan shakes and custard.

Attempting to find a veggie burger made from actual vegetables at most American fast food chains feels like a task worthy of the Mission Impossible franchise. Try to order a meatless option at Burger King and you’re stuck with a soy protein Impossible Burger, at In-N-Out you’re forced to order a grilled cheese, and at McDonald’s you’re basically out of luck unless you enjoy shredded lettuce between burger buns.

Shake Shack, however, is eschewing fake meat replacements and going all in on real plants for their new veggie burger, a permanent menu item which hits restaurants nationwide starting Friday, May 5 — or Tuesday, May 2 for those order through the chain’s Shack App.

The Veggie Shack Burger is made from a mix of mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and carrots (Wow! Real vegetables!) plus grains like farro and quinoa. The burgers arrive topped with a slice of American cheese, a pile of crispy onions, pickles, and the chain’s mayo-based Shack Sauce, and cost $8.29 each. The chain has toyed with a veggie burger since 2018, testing different versions at New York City locations, but today's announcement marks the first time the burger is available nationwide.

Related:Our 13 Best Veggie Burger Recipes

It’s also worth nothing that this isn’t Shake Shack’s first vegetarian option: the restaurant has always offered their brilliant ‘Shroom Burger — which features a patty made from deep-fried cheese-stuffed mushrooms — since Shake Shack was just a singular burger stand in the middle of Madison Square Park. The ’Shroom Burger is delicious, but for the times you want something less deep-fried, the Veggie Shack Burger seems like the new move.

While the Veggie Shack, as it is served, isn’t inherently vegan (shoutout to the American cheese and Shack Sauce), the burger chain is also launching a vegan chocolate shake and chocolate frozen custard for the first time ever. They’re both made with NotMilk, a plant-based milk alternative that apparently “tastes, cooks, and blends just like milk,” according to an email from a Shake Shack spokesperson. Both items (also permanent menu additions) are available starting May 2, nationwide, and pair well with an order of Shake Shack’s signature crinkle cut fries — which, unlike McDonald’s, are vegan, too.

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