Success Of Burger King UK's Meat-Free Trial Means Good Things For Vegans

Vegan fast food is having a moment, and it appears consumers can't get enough. Just look at Burger King UK's latest experiment, in which one lucky location went plant-based for nearly a month.

As previously reported, Burger King UK turned its flagship restaurant, in London's Leicester Square, into an all-vegan location from March 24 to April 10. The vegan takeover was planned as a trial for the brand to see if a meat-free menu might work at other locations in the future. While Burger King has staged similar events in the past (such as trying vegetarian menus and hosting short-term plant-based pop-ups in European locations), the month-long vegan experiment at Leicester Square is a first for the company.

Menu items included both old and new vegan items from the company: Alongside the Plant-Based Whopper and Vegan Royale were newer dishes like the Vegan Katsu Royale, Plant-Based Katsu Chilli Whopper, and items topped with plant-based versions of "cheese" and "bacon." Burger King UK rounded out the menu with vegan takes on french fries, onion rings, nuggets, cheese bites, and ice cream.

According to a statement from a Burger King UK spokesperson, the all-vegan menu at Leicester Square attracted customers of all dietary preferences. In addition to the expected vegetarians and vegans, the trial was even popular with meat-eaters — resulting in lines that reportedly wrapped around the block.

While the trial has come to an end, the spokesperson noted that Burger King UK will be looking into bringing some of the vegan location's most popular dishes to the general public. Until then, the brand's two existing plant-based burgers, plus its vegan nuggets, will still be available throughout the UK — as will its limited-edition Katsu dishes, which can be found on Burger King menus until mid-summer.

Fast food chains globally are reacting to consumers' interest in veganism by offering an increasing number of plant-based menu items. As Insider reported in January, fast-casual chain Chipotle announced that they were expanding its plant-based chorizo filling to all United States locations. Meanwhile, Panda Express saw major success with its limited trial of plant-based orange chicken, reported QSR in November 2021, and has begun rolling out the dish at additional locations.